WE GUIDE TO STRIKE
- Limited Edition
- £125.00 (inc VAT)
WE GUIDE TO STRIKE
by Gil Cohen
Flying ahead of the main bomber stream, a Lancaster of 156 Squadron Pathfinder Force makes a run over its target in the heavily defended industrial Ruhr Valley. Extreme concentration can be observed in the crews eyes as they focus on their critical task of marking the target. The Ruhr, the greatest industrial area in the whole of Germany, was the most heavily defended target in the world. The Ruhr Valley was nearly always covered by an almost permanent smoke-haze which, at night made visual pin-pointing of towns below nearly impossible. The Pathfinder force was able to penetrate the industrial pollution with aircraft equipped with the blind-bombing devise known as Oboe. This technology afforded the ability to seek out targets regardless of weather conditions and illuminate desired areas with brilliant target markers which reflected back up from the ground through the haze. The application of the crews precise identification of the target locations will enable the following bomber strikes to be incisively accurate further crippling the German war effort.
“We Guide To Strike”
(motto of No: 8 Pathfinder Force Group)
Aircrew of 156 Squadron Pathfinder Force
Signing “We Guide to Strike”
Group Captain G Womersley DSO* DFC MID Pilot
Flight Lieutenant W Cleland DSO DFC Pilot
Flight Lieutenant T Timperley DFC Pilot
Flight Lieutenant H Hernaman DFC Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Wing Commander W Bagg OBE DFC Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Pilot Officer D Briggs DFC Flight Engineer/Bomb Aimer
Warrant Officer J Chapman DFM Flight Engineer/Bomb Aimer
Flying Officer C Dee Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Flight Sergeant C Follit DFM Air Gunner
Flying Officer W Kerry Navigator
Warrant Officer R Noye DFC Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Flight Lieutenant D Reed DFM Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Warrant Officer J McCrum DFM Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Warrant Officer J Watson DFM Flight Engineer/ Bomb Aimer
