I am amazed nobody on Pprune seems to have remembered this significant day. So I am posting a link the history of a single squadron in WWII
No 75 Squadron (New Zealand) Royal Air Force
I post this in memory of cousin
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casua...s-haswell-wood
21/03/1945 – Attack Against Munster Viaduct
Twenty one aircraft were detailed to attack the Muster Viaduct. There was hardly any cloud over the target. It is thought that the concentration was good although the formation was broken up just prior to bombing. Three aircraft failed to return from this operation – AA”T”, NZ42451 F/L J. Plummer, AA”R” NZ429139 P/O A. Brown and JN”P” 190947 P/O D.S. Barr. All three aircraft were seen to hit in the target area. Considerable H/F was encountered.
Lancaster Mk.III LM733 AA-R
P/O Alfred Errol Brown, RNZAF NZ429139 – Pilot.
F/S Arthur Donald Baker, RNZAF NZ4214043 – Navigator.
F/S James Haswell Wood, RNZAF NZ425811 – Air Bomber.
F/S Arthur Elliott Robson, RNZAF NZ4210853 – Wireless Operator.
F/S R.H. Lawrence, RAFVR 1607264 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. J. Grierson, RAFVR 1593931 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. H. Barraclough, RAFVR 1590144 – Rear Gunner.
LM733 was bombing the target at Munster when it was seen to break into two sections and enter a downward spiral before crashing in flames among trees near Coesfeld at 13.30hrs. The cause of the catastrophic damage was thought to be a combination of flak damage and being struck by a bomb from another 3 Group aircraft flying above. Two crew, the pilot and air bomber, were killed and later buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The other five crew parachuted to safety and were captured as P.o.W’s.