Transcribed from Ken Oakes’ original RAAF flying log book — from his first training flight at Port Pirie in February 1943, through forty operational sorties with No. 466 Squadron, to his service as a gunnery instructor. Where Ken kept a personal diary of individual operations, his own words are reproduced alongside the official record.
Primary source: Ken Oakes’ RAAF flying log book (personal collection). Log book entries take precedence over secondary accounts where they conflict; unconfirmed readings are flagged in notes below.
Alongside the official log book, Ken kept a personal diary describing his first three operations in narrative form. These accounts are reproduced here as written, alongside the corresponding official log book entries.
This was to be our first operation against the Third Reich. It was. We were told at briefing that “tonight was to be the greatest offensive yet taken by the R.A.F. against Germany.” More than a 1000 four-engine bombers were taking part in the attack.
Our trip was very uneventful up to the target — we lumbered through 8/10 cloud. Flak was moderate. Mid upper saying “I have seen more ack ack in ‘42’” although it took us a fair while to cross the target. Bombed at 2300.
Trip home was quite uneventful except when nearing home found one of our petrol tanks had iced up. Ken did a good job & got it working in the end. It was touch and go if we would make base with what juice we had left.
When near land, “called up” Darkey for some time. Did not receive any answer. Eventually found base & landed. We clocked 7.30 hrs. Track distance was 1322 miles. Bomb load 4×30×6 & 8×4×90, approx. 4000lbs of incendiaries. Our aircraft was “Z for Zebra”, LV824“Z”.
43 of our aircraft are missing.
Leipzig was the target for the R.A.F. tonight. Had a very good trip in except for the winds changing and the navigator working like hell to try and find out where he was. We were well off track going in — practically went over Berlin.
When we found out where we were, we turned for the target. Did a bombing run of 21 mins. Could see very few aircraft around us. Bombs were dropped in a hell of a hurry, nose down and full speed ahead for home.
Flak was fairly intense over target. I could still see a great red glow in the east even after we had left the target for 3½ hours or so.
Uneventful trip out. When out of German-occupied territory found we were running very short of fuel. Decided not to make base but to make England at the closest point. We did, and finally landed at Snetterton Heath, an 8th USAAF base, 96th Bombardment Group.
Scotty did a great landing on a 2000 yd runway with no brake pressure, ground-looped “T for Tare” and she came round without a moan, then cut our motors. Stayed there for the remainder of the day. Yanks gave us all we wanted, saw the Forts take off in the early hours of the morn to go out and prang what we had, started up. Half hour later saw them come back late in the afternoon. Have seen the most spectacular landing procedure of my life. Yanks have wonderful organisation.
Came back to base late in the afternoon. Bomb load 4×30×8, 8×4×90, approx. 4000lbs incendiaries. Bombed through 3/10 cloud. Aircraft HX266“T”, “T” Tare.
79 of our aircraft missing. Approx. 1250 track miles. Clocked 7.05 hrs.
Jack asked for permission to land as they were extremely low on fuel, but the Americans said no, as a bomb-laden Fort was on the runway. Jack’s response was: “Bugger the bomb-laden Fort, we’re coming in.”
After they landed, the Americans were very keen to check out the aircraft, as it had a different radar system to the Yanks’ — very secret. Jack produced a “pistol” (according to Dad’s story), waving it about and declaring nobody goes near his aircraft. The crew rotated guard over the aircraft until it was refuelled and they headed back to base.
After much trouble with engines — starboard inner & rear turret — we finally got away. Were routed in well through France. Very uneventful trip. Approx. 3/10 cloud over target.
We were coned by searchlight, approx. 30 sec, for a few seconds nearly collided with a Lancaster during our evasive action. Whole trip uneventful. Saw one poor soul over Frankfurt, coned with approx. 40–50 searchlights and getting all the flak they have.
Due to good airmanship of Jack & Ken, we got back to base with approx. 45 mins flying time left. Aircraft HX276“X”, “X” X-Ray. Bomb load 4×30×8 & 8×4×90, approx. 4000lbs incendiaries.
Transcribed exactly as recorded in Ken’s flying log book, No. 466 Squadron RAAF, December 1943 – August 1944, flying Halifax IIIs from Leconfield and later Driffield, Yorkshire.
| # | Date | Hour | Aircraft | Pilot | Duty | Remarks | Day | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.2.44 | 1700 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Berlin. 4,000lbs, 1,300 miles. See diary account above | 7.30 | |
| 2 | 19.2.44 | 2350 | HX266“T” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Leipzig. 4,000lbs, 1,250 miles. Petrol shortage; landed Snetterton Heath (USAAF). See diary account above | 7.05 | |
| 3 | 24.2.44 | 1810 | HX274“X” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Schweinfurt. 4,000lbs, 1,520 miles. See diary account above. Diary gives aircraft as HX276“X”; log book (primary source) reads HX274“X”. | 8.06 | |
| 4 | 15.3.44 | 1845 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Stuttgart. 4,000lbs, 1,600 miles | 8.25 | |
| 5 | 18.3.44 | 1905 | LV837“A” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Frankfurt am Main. 5,500lbs, 1,132 miles | 5.45 | |
| 6 | 22.3.44 | 1325 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Gardening — Kieler Förde, Keil Bay. 2×1,500lbs mines, 980 miles | 5.10 | |
| 7 | 24.3.44 | 1845 | HX266“T” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Berlin. 4,000lbs, 1,329 miles | 7.10 | |
| 8 | 26.3.44 | 2015 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Essen. 5,200lbs, 928 miles | 4.35 | |
| 9 | 30.3.44 | 2045 | HX266“T” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Nürnberg. 4,000lbs, 1,542 miles. Petrol shortage; landed Lasham, T.A.F./2. See family recollection below | 7.20 | |
| 10 | 9.4.44 | 2110 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Villeneuve-St-Georges, marshalling yards, Paris. 10,000lbs MC, 944 miles | 5.30 | |
| 11 | 10.4.44 | 2104 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Tergnier, France, marshalling yards. 10,000lbs MC, 890 miles | 5.05 | |
| 12 | 26.4.44 | 2115 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Villeneuve-St-Georges, marshalling yards, Paris. 10,000lbs MC, 1,019 miles | 5.10 | |
| 13 | 28.4.44 | 0110 | LV824“Z” | F/Sgt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Aulnoye, France, marshalling yards. 10,000lbs HE, 716 miles | 4.00 | |
| 14 | 30.4.44 | 2120 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Achères, marshalling yards, Paris. 10,000lbs HE, 826 miles. Pilot recorded as P/O Scott from this sortie. | 4.41 | |
| 15 | 1.5.44 | 2200 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Mécholon, Belgium, marshalling yards. 11,000lbs MC, 727 miles | 4.00 | |
| 16 | 9.5.44 | 0055 | HX266“T” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Morsalines, France, med/hvy gun emplacements. 9,000lbs MC, 630 miles | 3.50 | |
| 17 | 11.5.44 | 2320 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Collines-Beaumont, France, med/hvy gun emplacements. 10,500lbs HE, 690 miles | 3.45 | |
| 18 | 12.5.44 | 2210 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Hasselt, Belgium, marshalling yards. 11,000lbs HE, 740 miles | 4.10 | |
| 19 | 19.5.44 | 2325 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Boulogne, France, marshalling yards. 11,000lbs HE, 760 miles | 3.45 | |
| 20 | 27.5.44 | 2345 | LV433“D” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Bourg Léopold, Belgium, military camp. 9,000lbs HE. Landed Catfoss | 4.30 | |
| 21 | 2.6.44 | 2220 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Trappes, France, marshalling yards. 9,000lbs HE | 4.45 | |
| 22 | 6.6.44 | 0109 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Maisy, France, med/hvy guns. 9,000lbs HE. D-Day period | 4.20 | |
| 23 | 6.6.44 | 2335 | LW172“J” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Châteaudun, France, marshalling yards. 9,000lbs HE. Second sortie, same day | 5.40 | |
| 24 | 7.6.44 | 2250 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Juvisy, France, railway junction. 9,000lbs HE | 4.30 | |
| 25 | 9.6.44 | 0025 | LV955“Y” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Laval, France, airfield. 9,000lbs HE | 5.00 | |
| 26 | 17.6.44 | 2305 | MZ306“Z” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: St Martin-l’Hortier, France, German pilotless plane base. 4,000lbs HE | 3.45 | |
| 27 | 23.6.44 | 2340 | HX244“V” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Oisement–Neuville-au-Bois, France, German pilotless A/C base. 9,000lbs HE, 669 miles | 3.30 | |
| 28 | 30.6.44 | 1745 | HX244“O” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Villers Bocage, France, road junction, Panzer concentrations. 9,000lbs, 650 miles | 4.05 | |
| 29 | 1.7.44 | 1540 | HX244“O” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Oisement–Neuville-au-Bois, France, German “doodle-bug” base. 9,000lbs, 660 miles | 3.35 | |
| 30 | 4.7.44 | 1225 | HX244“O” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Domléger, France, German “doodle bug” supply base. 9,000lbs, 711 miles | 3.50 | |
| 31 | 7.7.44 | 1930 | MZ296“L” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Caen, France, military objectives. 9,000lbs | 4.00 | |
| 32 | 12.7.44 | 2340 | LV833“P” | P/O Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Forme-du-Forestal, France, pilotless A/C supply base. 9,000lbs, 740 miles | 4.00 | |
| 33 | 15.7.44 | 0015 | LV833“P” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Les Landes-Vieilles-et-Neuves, France, pilotless A/C supply base. 9,000lbs. Pilot recorded as F/Lt Scott from this sortie. | 3.25 | |
| 34 | 16.7.44 | 0326 | MZ341“Y” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Sannerville, France, military objectives. 9,000lbs. “Shot up” by flak | 3.55 | |
| 35 | 23.7.44 | 2235 | LV955“M” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Les Catelliers, France, pilotless A/C supply base. 9,000lbs, 75 miles | 3.40 | |
| 36 | 24.7.44 | 2120 | MZ306“K” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Stuttgart. 4,000lbs HE, 1,680 miles. Two sorties this date | 8.20 | |
| 37 | 24.7.44 | 1535 | MZ296“L” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Forêt de Nieppe, France, rocket projectile base. 9,000lbs | 3.35 | |
| 38 | 30.7.44 | 0520 | LV955“M” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: France, army co-operation. Aborted on Master Controller’s instructions | 3.35 | |
| 39 | 9.8.44 | 1147 | HX266“J” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: L’Isle Adam, France, ammo dump. 9,000lbs | 4.05 | |
| 40 | 9.8.44 | 1105 | MZ368“X” | F/Lt Scott | Tail Gunner | Operations: Forêt de Nieppe, France, rocket projectile base. 9,000lbs. Final operation of first tour | 3.40 |
Nürnberg was another op Dad would talk about. Aircraft HX266“T” — T Tare — seemingly was a lemon: it could not reach bombing height, was slow and heavy to fly, and guzzled fuel. If I remember correctly they were a bit late to target and lower than other aircraft. They could see bombs falling around them and just hoped one wouldn’t hit them.
CERTIFIED THAT F/S Oakes has completed his First tour, comprising 40 sorties.
After completing his first tour, Ken remained with No. 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit, Marston Moor, as a Gunnery Instructor from 24 August 1944, flying fighter affiliation sorties with trainee crews. He attended the 59th Air Gunnery Instructor’s Course at E.C.A.S. Manby, Lincolnshire in October 1944, and the 96th Gunnery Leader Course at the Central Gunnery School, Catfoss, East Yorkshire, in April–May 1945.
A log book entry for 14 June 1945 records a “Ruhr Trip” — flown low over the bombed industrial cities of Rotterdam, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Köln, Bochum, Essen and Dortmund — almost certainly one of the post-VE Day “Cook’s Tour” flights that gave ground crew and other personnel a firsthand view of the bombing campaign’s results.
