Group Captain Mike Judd - 6 June 1944
Thread: Group Captain Mike Judd - 6 June 1944
22nd September 2010, 16:22 #1
Lyffe
Today's Daily Telegraph contains a long obituary for Group Captain Mike Judd who, in June 1944, commanded 143 Wing which consisted of three squadrons of RCAF Typhoons (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/8016807/Group-Captain-Mike-Judd.html).
The obituary is short on detail, so I don't even know which squadrons were involved, but it does refer to an attack Judd led against gun batteries overlooking the Normandy beaches during the early hours of 6 June 1944. There is also a reference to low cloud hindering the attack - I'd like to find more detail about this apparently simple statement and wonder if anyone can provide more details about the operation.
Canada, eh
Everything you want to know about Canadian Typhoon operations can be found in Hugh Haliday's excellant book, "Typhoon and Tempest: the Canadian Story". 143 Wing flew several operations on D Day, and Hugh quotes the 438 Squadron ORB about one of them, an 06:55 launch against targets on the beach:
"Cloud conditions were 5/10 from 2,000 feet up, with the result that the dive bombing had to be done from a much lower level. Depsite this and the difficulties of a heavy smoke cloud above the beach, direct hits were scored on both targets with 1,000 pound bombs"
439 and 440 Squadrons also flew several missions on that day, but there is no information concerning weather on these raids. There is a more general comment about close air support for all the beaches that day:
"Tactical air support had been held back for much of June 6, partly due to weather, and the confused ground situation, but also in anticipation of strikes against German armoured reinforcements."
I'm not sure which Squadron Judd would have flown with, but there is a photo of him with 440 Squadron pilots in Normandy in August 1944.
Considerably more ops were flown on 7 June, possibly due in part to better weather.
Very much obliged Bill, that will do me nicely.