I´m looking for an excerpt of -Memoirs of an air observation post officer by Andrew Lyell-. Does anyone have the book and can look up if something about April 14, 1945 and the city of Verden or the Aller River is written? Kind regards Jens-Michael
Just had a quick scan through and don't see anything unfortunately - it doesn't have an index which doesn't help
Film of Verden was taken from an Auster of an unknown AOP squadron on 16 April, the day before the city was taken by units of 53rd Welsh Division. The film (ref A70 301-4) is online and can be seen here: AERIAL VIEWS OF THE AREA AROUND VERDEN, GERMANY [Allocated Title].
Lyell who done the flight, saw an attack of RP Typhoons as discribed in the ORB. These eight Typhoons were from No. 245 Squadron which took off at Achmer B.112 at 15:30h, landed 16:55. The crashed Typhoon which is also discribed in the ORB was one out of four non RP Typhoons from No. 137 Squadron which attacked a small village near Verden. F/Sgt. Pennant was fit by light flak an crashed at this small village. Took off at 17:01h Hopsten B.110. Last three Typhoons landed 17:56h. Who can Lyell observe the crash when he landed at 17:05?
April 14, was just another day to survive under great pressure. Why would Major Lyell remember it in particular. He recorded the missions in the war diary/ORB and we are lucky to find those details in the records.