F/L Alfred Hartwell De-Mille DFC RCAF and crew – 576 Squadron – 1944/45 – J36365
The De Mille crew would have been posted to 576 Squadron around mid October 1944. The 576 Squadron ORB does not mention this. The crew consisted of :-
P/O A H De-Mille RCAF - Pilot
Sgt P.A. Fairman RAFVR – Flight Engineer
Sgt J. Letros RCAF – Air Bomber
P/O D. Stead RAFVR - Navigator
F/S H.R. Hayes RCAF – Wireless Operator
Sgt F. Shufflebotham RAFVR – Air Gunner
F/S J.K. MacDougall RCAF – Air Gunner
According to the 576 ORB the crew flew unaltered throughout their tour which was as follow :-
09/11/1944 - Wanne Eikel - Oil - PD271 - P/O AH De-Mille RCAF
11/11/1944 - Dortmund - Oil - PD271 - P/O AH De-Mille RCAF
16/11/1944 - Duren - Army support - PD232 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
18/11/1944 - Wanne Eikel - Oil - PD271 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - Landed at diversionary airfield due to bad weather at base
27/11/1944 - Freiburg - Army support - PD312 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
29/11/1944 - Dortmund - Point of Aim - NG273 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
04/12/1944 - Karlsruhe - Point of Aim - PD271 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
06/12/1944 - Leuna - Oil - NF975 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
12/12/1944 - Essen - Point of Aim - PD271 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
17/12/1944 - Ulm - Point of Aim - NN750 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
31/12/1944 - Osterfeld - Railway yards - PA173 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
02/01/1945 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - PD232 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - 2 jet fighters and 1 single engined night fighter sighted
14/01/1945 - Leuna - Oil - PD232 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
16/01/1945 - Zietz - Oil - PB753 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
22/01/1945 - Duisburg/Hambourn - Oil - NG273 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
01/02/1945 - Ludswigshafen - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
02/02/1945 - Wiesbaden - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
08/02/1945 - Politz - Oil - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
13/02/1945 - Dresden - Operation Thunderclap - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - 2nd pilot F/O Haywood
14/02/1945 - Chemnitz - Operation Thunderclap - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
23/02/1945 - Pforzheim - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
28/02/1945 - Neuss - Army Support ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - Aborted - Raid recalled due to uncertainty of position friendly troops.
01/03/1945 - Mannheim - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
05/03/1945 - Chemnitz - Operation Thunderclap - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
07/03/1945 - Dessau - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
08/03/1945 - Kassel - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
11/03/1945 - Essen - Point of Aim - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
15/03/1945 - Misburg - Oil - ME671 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - 2nd pilot F/S Abercrombie
16/03/1945 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - ? - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF – Combat. Attacked by twin engined night fighter just short of target and sustained heavy damage. Dived to 4,000 ft before control regained. Bombed secondary target
21/03/1945 - Bremen - Oil - RA563 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - Perspex in both turrets starboard mainplane and tailplane holed. No casualties
22/03/1945 - Hildersheim - Railway yards - RA563 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
24/03/1945 - Dortmund - Oil - RA514 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF - Hit in both main and tail plane. Starboard tyre punctured. Landed safely.
09/04/1945 - Kiel - Ship yard and naval base - PA307 - F/O AH De-Mille RCAF
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De Mille was awarded a DFC gazetted 26 June 1945. See citation below :-
3324 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 JUNE, 1945
Flight Lieutenant Alfred Hartwell DE-MILLE (Can/ 3.36365), R.C.A.F., 576 Sqn.
One night in March 1945 this officer was pilot and captain in an aircraft detailed to attack Nurnburg. During the operation the aircraft was badly hit when attacked by an enemy fighter. A good part of the port aileron was shot away and the aircraft went into a steep dive. Flight Lieutenant De-Mille succeeded in levelling out after much height had been lost. Two petrol tanks had been pierced and much petrol was lost. Nevertheless, Flight Lieutenant De-Mille was able to conserve some of his remaining petrol by skilful use of the engines and flew the damaged aircraft to base. This officer has completed very many sorties and has invariably displayed a high degree of courage and determination.
Compiled by David Fell with photo from my archive
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