Buffalo Soldier
The War Patrols of F/O Allan Bundy & 404 Squadron, RCAF

Story and Profile Artwork by Terry Higgins
This article first appeared on the Vintage Wings of Canada (VWC) site in 2012. In the words of WWC site editor, Dave O’Malley:
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Author, artist, historian, and researcher Terry Higgins has been writing, illustrating and assembling a comprehensive historical compendium of the exploits of the famous 404 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force. As part of Black History Month, Higgins has assembled a chronological narrative of 404 ops covering the period when the RCAF's first black combat pilot, Flying Officer Allan Selwyn Bundy, played a part in their vaunted history.
Flying Officer (F/O) Allan Selwyn Bundy’s name first appears in the 404 "Buffalo" Squadron (Sqn) ORB (Operations Record Book) within an un-embellished 8 October 1944 summary where it is noted that he and his NCO navigator, Flight Sergeant (F/S) Elwood "Lefty" Wright, were, together with another newly arrived crew, declared “fit for ops.” The squadron was equipped with the Beaufighter TF.X anti-shipping strike fighter at the time. This Coastal Command version of the aircraft had a crew of two: a pilot in a roomy but busy cockpit nestled between its two powerful Bristol Hercules engines and a navigator in an equally busy station mid-fuselage behind the breeches and magazines of the aircraft's four fuselage-nounted 20mm cannon. At this late stage of the war, the Beaufighter crews for Coastal Command were typically paired up at a certain phase of their operational training at 132 Operational Training Unit (OTU) and posted, as complete crews, to the squadrons. The Canadian sqaudron was one of five – two on Beaufighters and three on Mosquitoes that together made up the Banff Strike Wing. The Wing was part of 18 Group, Coastal Command, which was responsible for Coastal operations in the environs of German-occupied Norway. B Flight, 333 (Norwegian) Sqn also flew Mosquitoes but, techically, they reported to Group, rather than Wing headquarters. The Norwegian unit specialized in tactical reconnaissance in support of strike wing operations.

On 10 October, the two new Buffalo crews were up on a proficiency sortie from their new home, RAF Station Banff in northeastern Scotland, honing their formation flying skills. Even at this early stage in their operational record, it becomes apparent that the other new crew, F/O Jones and Warrant Officer (W/O) Elliott, were practically bonded to Bundy and Wright for the duration. Casting ahead in the official record one can see that these two crews would, with rare exception, be together in the air at the same time on many ops. They would also fly with other leaders or wingmen from time to time of course. The mix was typical of fresh crews deemed fit for ops in the anti-shipping strike squadrons.
An excerpt from the ORB with the first mention of the Bundy / Wright crew highlighted. Via the author, with thanks to Carl and Elizabeth Vincent
Close in on Beaufighter TF.X NE339 as EO•U of 404 Squadron when part of the Dallachy Strike Wing late in its life. The Bundy and Wright crew flew this aircraft several times in November when it was still marked as EE•U. Artwork by the author as it appears in Carl Vincent’s Canadian Aircraft of WWII (Aviaeology, 2009). Should readers wish to build a model of a 404 Squadron Beaufighter or other RCAF aircraft, the author's company offers scale model decal sets (or, if you are not a model maker but still interested in Terry’s heavily illustrated research documentation, you can find all of his Aviaeology Docs PDFs here).
As the new crews were being worked up and their proficiencies tested, squadron operations continued unaffected, patrolling up and down the Norwegian coast whenever the weather – and target availability – allowed. On 9 October the commanding officer, Wing Commander (W/C) “Teddy” Pierce, led a twilight “Big Do” against a German convoy. The highly coordinated strike force set itself up in the target area, and included a Warwick general reconnaissance aircraft to create a flare path of coloured markers on the predawn water. With anti-flak specialist Mosquitoes of 235 Sqn going in first, seamlessly followed by the actual strike aircraft – 404 Sqn with rocket projectiles (R/P) and 144 Sqn Beaufighters with torpedoes – it was an unmitigated success. Two vessels were sunk while various levels of damage were inflicted on the rest. Some aircraft returned with flak damage but none were lost. Unfortunately, with the season’s volatile North Sea weather turning foul overnight, Coastal Command could not immediately resume the pressure the next day. In fact, the enemy’s merchant shipping and its naval escorts would be safe from the snarling swarms of the Banff Strike Wing for nearly a week. It was a theme not uncommon throughout the winter of 1944/45. “Best laid plans” were scrubbed one day and a furtive effort turned back on another, both due to the weather. Winter’s veil finally lifted just enough on 15 October, and the first combat op to include the two newest Buffalo crews was on. 

Another Big Do
With Squadron Leader (S/L) “Chris” Christison, DFC, at its helm, 404 was able to contribute 12 aircraft to a formation totaling 38 from the four squadrons of the Wing. Bundy and Jones tucked into the lead 404 element soon after takeoff and, after the armed recce element formed up to starboard of the main strike force, the whole formation set course for the patrol area – over the open water between the Skaw, Denmark, and the Naze, Norway. Having concentrated most of their efforts to date on the shipping hugging the Norwegian coast, this was relatively new territory to most of the Banff Wing crews. After some two and three quarter hours flying, contact was made with two vessels – a tanker and its escort – at 5808N, 0817E. It was a hectic, productive time over the target. As the second man in, Bundy let fly his eight round R/P load into the tanker. It must’ve been a heady moment – actual combat after all of that training. Most of the Buffaloes concentrated on this target with R/P and cannon, though for some as yet undiscovered reason, Bundy was the only one whose cannon did not fire. The tanker was left a mess with 36 dry hits and 4 four wet. The latter was the desired result, with the 3-inch armour-piercing steel rounds traveling underwater to hole the hull below the waterline). The vessel exploded and some of its flying debris damaged Beaufighter “A” of 404 Sqn. Both new-arrival crews had made their first tangible mark on the enemy, for Bundy’s fellow rookie, Jones, had split off under the wing of the very experienced Wainman/Stoddart crew to attack the tanker’s escort. These 404 Sqn aircraft were the only two Beaufighters to attack the escort with R/P and it was determined to have received eight dry hits as a result. Two other aircraft attacked it with cannon fire. Both vessels were later confirmed sunk. The Squadron ORB says of the two new crews “both gave a good account of themselves.” A postwar 404 Squadron historian pulled a quote from Herbert Spencer’s scrapbook “Bundy, who came in last returned to remark, ‘Boy, my journey wasn’t really necessary!'”
Beaufighter TF.X NE800 as EE•N of 404 Squadron. Although it came to the Squadron from 46 Maintenance Unit on 7 May 1944, NE800 appears in the ORB only five times prior to Bundy’s first operational hop in October. Presumably it was held in reserve or used within the training/proficiency pool for much of its earlier life. Still, this aircraft did make one claim to fame during those times. Its Form 78 shows two ROS/CRO (repaired on site by the civilian repair organization) entries through the summer and a return to the Squadron on 1 September. The cause of the second of these was most certainly flak damage received while in action with three-tour veteran W/C Ken Gatward DSO, DFC at the controls on his final Beaufighter sortie as 404’s OC. After being returned to the squadron in September, NE800 may have then been held in reserve, or dedicated to training/proficiency sorties (such are not often detailed in the ORB) until the second week of October, after which the crew of Bundy and Wright were her most frequent crew. Artwork by the author
(A determined search did not result in useful overall photographs of this particular aircraft during Bundy’s time on the squadron. The illustration is therefore based on a careful study of both contemporaneous 404 Beaus and those close to NE800 in serial number. Bundy flew at least 23 operational sorties in this aircraft – most of those with Wright as navigator.)
The official caption of the only known photo of the aircraft tells the story of NE800s close call: “F/O WK McGrath of Hamilton, Ontario, looking at the useless starboard aileron of his Beaufighter after an attack on shipping off the French coast. Also hit in the port wing while finishing the attack, the aircraft nearly spun in. McGrath helped his pilot, W/C Ken Gatward jam a hatchet between the control column and a longeron to stay in level flight. They flew the aircraft like this for three hours to reach the base.” Another photo of Gatward taken around the same time is believed to be in the cockpit of his usual personal mount LZ451, EE•M.  CF photo PL41042 via the author’s collection
Throughout the remainder of October the rookie crews logged four more operational hops, with Bundy and Wright in NE800 on two of those. The first one, on the 18th, was back to the Naze area where the tanker of the previous action could be seen still aflame (presumably parts of her superstructure remained above water). Heavy flak was encountered throughout and “considerable shipping was observed in Kristiansand Harbour.” The sighting seems to have been made on the way home when they were low on fuel, so no attack was made. The next day was similar; S/L Bobby Schoales DFC, led the 404 contingent in “Bundy’s” NE800 while Bundy and Wright remained at Banff. Typical of these en masse armed recce trips, some four hours could lapse between take off and landing.
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On October 21 another Big Do was mounted under the very capable leadership of S/L Christison. The twelve (ORB gives twelve but there appears to have been a thirteenth – W/C Pierce’s EE•X – in the Details of Sortie narrative) Beaufighters of 404 were accompanied by nine of 144 Sqn, several Mosquito outriders* of 333 (Norwegian) Sqn and a number of Mosquitoes from both 235 and 248 Sqns. Bundy and Wright crewed NT991 EE•E on this trip, with Jones and Elliott right behind them in the oldest of the Squadron’s veteran warhorses, LX940 EE•Y. NE800 stayed on the ground for reasons unknown; most likely routine maintenance.

The force made landfall at Utvaer, after which a 333 Sqn scout raced up the coast all the way to Askvoll Harbour to sniff out enemy shipping. After he reported in the negative the main group split. Eighteen aircraft, including half of 404’s Beaus, patrolled towards Stadlandet. With no targets in sight this contingent set course for home. Meanwhile the balance, including Bundy and Jones amongst the seven Buffaloes present, headed south towards Haugesund with Mosquito “P” of 333 Sqn darting in and out of all navigable waterways along the complex coastline looking for quarry. Two merchant vessels (M/V) and an armed trawler (TTA) were unlucky enough to be in Haugesund Harbour.

​The strike aircraft went at them in a fury of cannon fire and R/P salvoes. Bundy, in the company of three very experienced crews – Wainman / Stoddart in NE669 EE•A, Christison in LZ451 EE•M (Gatward’s former mount), and Flynn / Michael in NV177 EE•Z – attacked the largest M/V. Their combined effort claimed 18 dry and 4 underwater R/P hits; 22 out of the total of 36 armour-piercing rounds from the four Beaus found their mark. Their cannon fire struck the bridge and amidships. The smaller M/V also received accurate R/P and cannon fire from two of 404’s cohort. The escort apparently escaped after putting up intense flak and P.A.C.s (projected or parachute aerial cables – cables shot vertically up from ships via a small rocket to discourage attacking aircraft). Returning crews reported leaving the vessels on fire. Both M/Vs – the German vessel Eckenheim (1923 tons) and the Norwegian Vestra (1422 tons) – sank  (the larger one was reportedly raised not long afterwards). No aircraft were lost but Christison brought old “M” back with a large hole in her port tail plane.
​• "Outrider" was a term coined within the 18 Group Strike Wings for specialist armed recce crews that would perform either single aircraft or two aircraft Rovers ahead of a mission launch, or “in real time recce” as part of a strike group. In the Rover profile, they would either radio back found target details before landing themselves (sometimes even passing the resulting outward-bound strike group while they themselves were homeward bound) or report directly in person upon landing. When flying to the target area with a strike group, they would venture out ahead darting in and out of the fjords and harbours looking for verifiable targets and, with the mission commander's okay, direct either part or all of the group onto the target. Recommending the best approach (ingress direction and height, etc) was usually part of their job as well. Later in the war, some squadrons used seasoned crews (either already well familiar with the target area or, having been trained by 333 Sqn as outriders) but more often than not the job went to the specialist 333 (Norwegian) Squadron based at Banff. This squadron's crews had very intimate knowledge of the coastline of their German-occupied homeland.
Beaufighter TF.X LZ451 as EE•M of 404 Squadron as flown by S/L Christison DFC, and others, circa late October 1944. Earlier, in the summer of 1944, this aircraft became the mount of then squadron commander W/C Ken Gatward DSO, DFC and Bar. He flew it often from sometime after D-Day through to late August when he left the Squadron. The aircraft remained to soldier on into late February 1945. The unofficial Buffalo emblem on the nose was most probably applied in late May or early June and the command pennant a little later, possibly July. The French tricolour is believed to have been added after Gatward, flying LZ451, landed in France on 7 August 1944, claiming Coastal Command’s “first landing in Europe.” Some say that it may also commemorate his “show the flag” flight over occupied Paris in 1942 when he was with a different Coastal Beaufighter squadron, but that seems a stretch. The “The Ancient Mariner” inscription seems to have been applied shortly after Gatward posted out, in recognition of either the aircraft itself (one of the 3 oldest on 404 Sqn strength at the time) or its two-tour veteran former pilot. Interestingly, the command pennant remained as depicted into 1945 although the new commander never flew this aircraft. Artwork by the author.
Beaufighter TF.X  NT991 EE•E circa October – December 1944. The Buffaloes received this former 236 Squadron aircraft on 9 October 1944 while at Banff. Bundy was flying it in these markings (most probably with full AEAF stripes still remaining on the fuselage) as a participant in the sinking of a German M/V on 21 October as related above. The caption from engine fitter Ed Lee’s photo album reads simply “Arnold” (LAC Elmon H. “Al” Arnold, engine fitter). The aircraft is typical of those in its serial block; the bump just visible on the engine nacelle is part of an oil system mod associated with a propeller pitch control mod and the artifacts just visible below the navigators cupola comprise the mounting clip, handle, and cables that make up an external emergency release for the cupola hatch. The small vent fairing seen just ahead of the first “E” on the fuselage side indicates provision for long-range auxiliary fuel tanks in the wing gun bays in place of the six wing guns. The greater fuel capacity, as well as the Gee whip antenna atop the fuselage, were standard equipment on all operational Coastal Command TF.Xs from at least mid-May of 1944. Allan Bundy would also go on to fly the aircraft in the background after it was marked “EO•L” in 1945. Ed Lee via the author’s collection 
This was to be 404’s last operational Beaufighter hop out of Banff. On 20 October they received the order to move to RAF Station Dallachy just up the coast in Morayshire. After settling in at the more austere new airfield, it did not take long before ops were on again. W/C Pierce led 22 Beaus (12 of 404 plus 10 of 144, who also made the move) out of Dallachy in the early afternoon of the 25 October and headed towards the Norge coast, the formation picking up an escort of two Mosquitoes out of Banff along the way. Hitting bad weather before they reached the target area, the force turned back with all aircraft back on the ground by 1639. The weather kept everybody on the ground the following day. Another attempt was made on the 27 October, with “Chris” Christison, the A Flight commander, leading the pack. Again the weather sided in favour of the German convoys and all 24 Beaufighters (12 each from 404 and 144) were back on the ground by 1606. Bundy, Wright, and NE800 had clocked up another 3+ hours on each of these duff weather sorties. However, both the Bundy and Jones crews would not participate in the final outing of October 1944. But both of their usual aircraft did. The strike group did discover an escort vessel, which opened up on them, but they did not attack since no primary targets – merchant vessels – were discovered.
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November started with what the squadron had now come to know as typical regional weather for the time of year. On the first, the only flying was a trip to Coastal Command HQ for the Officer Commanding (OC). The next day the squadron aircrews were released until midnight, enjoyed a liberty run to the town of Elgin by coach. The weather started to improve on the third. Most of the flying was local – a mix of proficiency and maintenance hops – while F/L Shulemson, DSO, flew the Wing Armament Officer, S/L Worley, to RAF Station Tain to have a look at the ranges there. The next day started with favourable skies but “the met” promised that it would get worse. F/L Shulemson left for RAF Station Milfield to take a special course on rockets while a few crews did some local flying. Interestingly, Shulemson’s detachment was coincident with the improved R/P rigs – better lightweight rails, Type J warheads, and higher performance rocket motors – soon to be introduced into Coastal Command service.

Despite the less than desirable met earlier in the day, by mid morning twelve crews were rallied and briefed. Finally, another Do was on! All, including Bundy and Wright aboard NE800, and their companions from OTU days, Jones and Elliott (whose regular mount was NV416 EE•J), were in the air within the 8 minutes between 1218 and 1226. Shoales, the B Flight commander, led the formation. They experienced intermittent showers in transit to the Norwegian coast. . The task was a Rover – an armed recce. After making landfall at Lista Light, Schoales set course, as planned, southeast along the Skagerrak coast between Egero and Homborsund. The met had been accurate. The weather continued to worsen. The ORB notes “adverse weather conditions prevented ideal observations” and all they sighted was three fishing trawlers. To make matters worse three aircraft were plagued with technical troubles; two, R/404 and H/404, with hydraulic pressure issues and one, Bundy’s N/404, with a faulty altimeter. Both N/404 and R/404 had to peel off and return individually. R/404 made Dallachy successfully while Bundy landed nearby at Milltown. With nothing detailed in the ORB, it can be assumed that he either got lost on the trip back across the North Sea or may have preferred certain characteristics of this airfield in light of the weather and the fickle altimeter. Meanwhile H/404 stuck with the patrol but, on returning to Scotland, had to peel off to land at Banff. The remainder of the group carried on up the coast to Dallachy. The airfield was complete socked in by the time the last engines were shut down.

The ORB does not report on how and when those who had landed elsewhere made the hop back to Dallachy. Scant entries for 5, 6, and 7 November note variable weather, local formation and low flying practice, the return of the OC from Coastal HQ,  and various postings in and out. Presumably they flew back on one of those days for Bundy’s aircraft was the tail-end charlie, crewed by WOs Ramsden and Rumble, as part of a 24 aircraft (including six Buffaloes) morning Rover while the Bundy/Wright (Y/404) and Jones/Elliott (P/404) crews flew wing to two very experienced crews (Flynn/Michael in M/404 and Watlington DFM / Henderson in K/404) on an anti U-boat (A/U) patrol in the afternoon. They were obviously expecting some business on the A/U patrol; with them were 3 Beaufighters from a new Dallachy Strike Wing squadron, 455 Sqn, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and 3 fighter escort Mosquitoes picked up near Banff on the way out over the North Sea. However, after 12 minutes searching due north from Stavanger, nothing appeared so they returned to base.

Meanwhile, the morning Rover was very successful. Its 333 Sqn outrider sniffed out a covey of 3 coasters and 2 M/V huddled in Midtgulenfjord. With high hills on both sides of the narrow fjord, the attackers had to be careful to avoid both ground impact and more concentrated flak. Execution, discipline, and leadership were impeccable. The strike group left two large M/V sinking (the 2755 ton Helga Ferdinand and the 3000 ton Aquila, both later confirmed sunk) and the Norwegian ferry Framnaes so badly damaged that it had to beach. NE800 and crew did their part, unloading its eight R/P rounds and cannon bursts into the larger of the two freighters. F/O LC Boileau and his navigator F/O WH McCamus, who led this strike in the OC Pierce’s usual aircraft NV173 EE•X, both received DFCs for this action.
Beaufighter TF.X LX940 as 2•Y of 404 Squadron under tow by LAC White in her pre-D-Day markings, circa May 1944. Like Gatward’s LZ451, this aircraft, one of the squadron's first TF.Xs, soldiered on with 404 Squadron further into 1945, even returning to service on 9 March after a Cat AC induced repair on site by Bristols contractors earlier in the month. Bundy and Wright crewed this aircraft, marked as EE•Y, on an uneventful anti U-boat mission along the Norge coast north of Stavanger on 8 November 1944. CF photo PL28090
 “The Ancient Mariner” with the coastal winter above and below: Beaufighter LZ451 spent her entire career as aircraft M of 404 and was on ops almost continuously from late October 1943 through to late February 1945. The photo illustrates typical conditions in northeast Scotland around the time the Buffaloes made the move from Banff to Dallachy. This is how LZ451 would have looked during the 8 November A/U patrol related in the main narrative. LX940 would have had similar finish and markings (with a “Y” code letter in place of the “M” of course) when flown by Bundy on that same trip. The pre-heater lorry was an absolute necessity at all of the airfields in 18 Group, Coastal Command, in northeastern Scotland at this time of year. Ed Lee via the author’s collection
Another four aircraft A/U patrol led by Bobby Schoales in X/404 (NV173, the OC’s usual aircraft) launched towards the same area north of Stavanger the next day. One aircraft returned early due to an undercarriage malfunction. The rest returned home without incident after completing their assigned patrol. Their intended targets escaped detection.
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Taking advantage of the “fairly good” weather of 10 November, the OC, W/C Pierce, flying X/404 led a large force of 33 Beaufighters (12 from 404) accompanied by two 333 Sqn Mosquito outriders on an armed Rover along the Norwegian coast. Having taken off after first light, they completed their patrol between Utvaer and Svino and returned without seeing anything to attack. Bundy and Wright clocked up another four and a half operational hours in NE800.

After a four day reprieve that may have included some local flying, Bundy and Wright flew an interesting, if uneventful, sortie in NE339 EE•U. On 15 November, ten 404 Beaus led by W/C Pierce in X/404 detached to RAF Station Sumburgh on the southern tip of the Shetland Islands. After refueling there the strike group, which also included 10 Beaus of 455 Squadron, 6 of 144 Squadron, and an escort of 315 Squadron Mustangs (detached from RAF Station Peterhead) set course northeast to Stadlandet, patrolled the coast north as far as Hitteren Id. [sic, probably the island of Hitra, due west of Trondheim], then tracked back south along the coast to Kristiansund (N), and down further to Allesund looking to cause trouble in any harbour or fjord containing shipping. Vessels were sighted but not engaged in Kristiansund and Allesund Harbours. Some flak did come up, indicating their presence was known, so they turned for home. Given that the potential targets were discovered on the homeward bound leg and their fuel state was not ideal, and the picture in his mind’s eye of a scramble in progress at Gossen (a Luftwaffe fighter airfield in the area), there was some wisdom in Pierce’s decision not to commit to the attack. It was a long enough haul even without combat. Bundy logged another 5 operational hours on this one.
The official caption for this photo reads “P/O P. McCartney (Harrogate, England) left with his pilot F/O R.C. Ridge (Toronto, ON) of the Buffalo Squadron”. Their backdrop, Beaufighter NE339 as aircraft EE•U of 404 Squadron in circa October-November 1944 markings. Another 404 “lifer”, NE339 first came on the Squadron’s inventory 20 December 1943, remaining active until lost on a 24 March 1945 combat op. Before its loss, veteran flight commander “Chris” Christison would fly it on the ill fated “Black Friday” op of 9 February 1945, which he survived. NE339 was lost with a sprog crew on board during the squadron’s final Beaufighter combat op on 24 March. In one of those strange twists of war, second tour veteran S/L Christison DFC was also lost on the same mission, flying Beaufighter NV428 EO•R. CF photo PL41454
Still on detachment at Sumburgh on 17 November, Pierce set off with a large force including 25 Beaufighters (10 of which were 404 Sqn), two 333 Sqn Mosquitoes, two 281 Sqn ASR Warwicks, and a fighter escort of 13 Mustangs from 315 Sqn. Pierce flew NV422 EE•C with Schoales as his 2nd in Bundy’s NE800. Although the Mosquito outriders busied themselves with their usual thoroughness in the leads and anchorages, only a few small vessels were discovered. Again, the force was not committed to battle while the usual “we see you” flak was thrown up from the enemy shore. All returned to base unscathed. “Wind, rain, and low clouds made both takeoff and landing very difficult.” Similar ops north of Bergen and a resumption of patrols in the south throughout the next week proved similarly frustrating.
The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs and originally intended as a larger development of and using similar construction techniques to that used on the Wellington. Air-Sea Rescue (ASR) variants of the Warwick could carry an airborne lifeboat and other lifesaving equipment.
A high level conference on training was held in the station commander’s office the next morning as threatening cloud cover developed over the airfield. All squadron commanders, flight commanders, and specialist officers were in attendance. That afternoon a Coastal Command combat film was shown to all aircrew in the crew room and there was no flying other than a lone air test.
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The weather showed some promise by the morning of 20 November, but deteriorated by the afternoon. Still the old standby exercise of local formation flying was carried out, along with a few air tests. Finally, an operational Big Do managed to launch from Dallachy under an angry sky the next day. It returned in similar weather and without results some 5 hours later. The following day was more of the same on the weather front. Only one air test managed to get off before the squadron was released on liberty to Elgin. By the 23rd, things were clearing up and training, including formation flying and air-to-air gunnery resumed in earnest. This carried over into the 24th when the programme was expanded to include some R/P splash practice.
It should be noted here that F/L SS “Sid” Shulemson, DSO, had just returned to the squadron (18 November) as the squadron’s de facto technical expert on anti-shipping rocketry, and may have held classes and led range exercises for the new R/P hardware.

The squadron was involved in additional Wing efforts on 25 and 26 November. All without enemy contact. The Bundy and Jones crews did not participate, as they were among those who had just ferried their aircraft back to Dallachy from Sumburgh in the days before. It may have been that the detachment crews were otherwise engaged in splash practice sorties and classroom time on the new R/P setup.

The first words in the ORB for 25 November 1944 carries a hint of sarcasm: “This is almost a record! Three fine days of flying now!” However, the 42 aircraft strong strike force that went out was actually thwarted by weather as it neared the Norwegian coast, and turned for home. Another fair weather day on the 26th saw a 22 aircraft strike mount up, take off, and return after finishing an “uneventful patrol between Stavanger and Kristiansand (S).”

The squadron diarist wrote “The weather was fair all day.” as his entry opener for 27 November 1944. Detailed to attack an M/V reported to be in Sula Fjord, Shulemson led a force of 10 Beaufighters (six from 404 and four from 489 Sqn) that made landfall at the Svinoy Light. The target, which was supposed to be in Sula Fjord, was nowhere to be found but they discovered an alternate nearby – a small convoy of two large M/Vs with three escorts. Interestingly, in its account of the ensuing combat, the ORB refers to aircraft “N” (which should have been Bundy’s NE800) being the first in to attack one of the escorts. However, this aircraft is not listed in the appropriate column on the two 27 November pages, while NE339 EE•U is not called out in any of the Details of Sortie or Flight column, which accounts for all other aircraft. Therefore, one is left to assume that the “N” referred to was actually “U” with the diarist perhaps associating the Bundy and Wright crew with their usual “N” at some point in his typing! Whichever aircraft he was in, it seems that F/O Allan Bundy fired the opening shots in this particular battle. His R/P all overshot (perhaps an indication of his using the new, flatter trajectory rounds for the first time in the heat of battle) but his cannon gunnery registered multiple superstructure hits. While the ships company dealt with the consequences, R/P “ace” Shulemson, brought NV177 EE•Z to bear on the same vessel, scoring 4 dry and 4 wet R/P hits. By the time they egressed the target area, the “leading E/V was well on fire and low in the water, and the larger M/V was smoking to some extent.” Two Buffaloes came home with flak damage while the strike leaders aircraft suffered an engine failure just of the Norwegian coast. Shulemson, ever the cool and collected airman nursed the Beaufighter back to friendly skies and a successful landing at Sumburgh with NT890 EE•F as safety escort. The main group all landed at Dallachy after an average of just over five hours each in the air.

A few scrubbed missions, an air test that featured a runaway airscrew complete with a successful crash-landing on the airfield, and some firing practice (both cannon and R/P) consumed the remaining days of November 1944. The start to December was not much different. More planned ops cancelled due either to duff local weather or similarly unfavourable met reports for the target area, more R/P practice, the usual business of maintenance air tests, and the unusual event of a funeral for the crew of a Canadian Halifax that crashed nearby.

Finally, 5 December dawned with cold but clear skies and just after noon Shulemson (in NE669 EE•A) led twelve Buffaloes to accompany a similar number of 144 Sqn Beaufighters on an A/S patrol of the Norwegian coast. The patrol was completed without enemy contact. Two squadron aircraft separated on the return leg to escort a limping Beaufighter from another force into Sumburg. All others, including Bundy with Elliott as nav aboard NT916 EE•S, and Jones with Wright in NE800 EE•N, were back at Dallachy by 1725, having spent an average of five hours aloft.

Bundy wasn’t along the next day when W/C Pierce led a force of 15 Dallachy Strike Wing Beaufighters (six from 404), together with fighter escort Mustangs and outrider Mosquitoes picked up at Banff, on an A/S patrol. After one of the outriders found a target “anchored in Sor Vaagsoy”, the force tried to set up a coordinated attack from seaward, but intense flak, from several directions at once within the particularly narrow fjord, foiled the effort. A Mustang and a 489 Sqn Beaufighter went missing while all others made it back to base.

Things really started to pick up after this. Reunited with usual his navigator and kite, F/O Bundy was part of a really Big Do on 7 December, involving both the Dallachy Strike Wing Beaufighters and the Banff Strike Wing Mosquitoes. The target was shipping found in Allesund Harbour. The Mosquitoes would go in first to maul the flak positions. With Christison as strike leader, the 40 Beaufighters of the Dallachy element were to concentrate on the shipping itself. The fighter escort element – 12 long range Mustangs out of Peterhead – were to tie up any Luftwaffe fighters expected to scramble from nearby Gossen Airfield. Sure enough, some 25 Messerschmitts and Focke Wulfs rose to the occasion but the escort was ready for them. In the ensuing melee, the Mustangs claimed 6 destroyed and 2 probables for the loss of one of their own. Still some of the German fighters made it through to the strike group. Two Mosquitoes and a 489 Sqn Beaufighter were lost to enemy fire. Flynn’s S/404 was hit by Bf109 cannon fire and Michaels, his nav, received minor wounds when one round exploded in the navigator’s cupola. He made for Sumburg and landed there with two squadron mates as escort. The rest made for home, deprived of their target by the Gossen fighter force. It was a long haul. Some had as little as 10 gallons of fuel remaining by the time they shut down. Bundy and Wright had their first close encounter with enemy fighter aircraft.
An ominous title is ascribed to this photo in LAC Ed Lee’s personal scrapbook: “The last flight of X.” However, it may be that this was the last time that Lee, who was the engine mechanic on this, the OC’s personal aircraft, remembered having something to do with it, for some other aircraft in the taxi line-up did not fly on 9 December. It is more likely 5 December when all four aircraft, whose codes are visible in the original photo, were part of the same strike force. EE•S is furthest along seen under the wing of the stationary Beau. Allan Bundy flew that aircraft on the fruitless 5 December strike. Ed Lee via the author’s  collection
On 9 December the Wing sent a strike force comprising 23 Beaufighters from 144, 404, and 489 Sqns to the Utvaer area. The force picked up its escort, 315 (Polish) Sqn Mustangs out of Peterhead, on the way out. Amongst the nine 404 aircraft led by F/L HL Wainman, Bundy and Wright were in NE800 once again. Soon an “unescorted M/V in the 1000 ton class” was located and the attack went in. The vessel was saturated with 8 dry, 2 possible dry, and 22 wet R/P hits. Six Buffaloes also attacked with cannon and five of those made two passes. Sadly the inexperienced crew of Cooper and Smith, who had been with the squadron less than a month, were lost in the first wave. Reading between the lines of the ORB entry for the day, it appears that their rockets did not fire. One could speculate that the young pilot may have busied himself momentarily trying to figure out why, and took his eyes off of the outside world for a split second too long and hit one of the ship’s masts. That’s all it took in the low-level strike business. It was one of the most dangerous jobs in any air force. Allan Bundy – also considered as “new” by the squadron’s old hands despite his increasing combat experience – was one of the more successful attackers. As the marauding Beaus departed, the M/V was left ablaze from bridge to stern and racked with explosions. Later, a recce aircraft found it beached and burning fiercely. Intelligence identified the vessel as the 687-ton Havda, a Norwegian coaster.
Two young airmen are lost: The full fury and attendant dangers of a Beaufighter anti-shipping strike are well illustrated in this haunting image. The strike camera of an unknown Beau had the dubious honour of recording the demise of a very new crew out on their second op in the OCs personal aircraft. The M/V (Motor Vessel) is nearly invisible amidst the R/P and cannon splashes and smoke, the aircraft impact is directly above it in frame while the dark artifact with a smoke cloud beyond it to the right may be the stricken aircraft’s wing. Two Beaufighters can be seen about to pass over the vessel, having just leveled out from their firing runs. Flak is coming up to the right of the camera aircraft. From the official caption… “Attack by Beaufighters of No. 404 Squadron on motor vessel off Utvaer, Norway, 9 December 1944.  Aircraft ‘X’ (pilot A.K. Cooper, navigator WO C.F. Smith) was believed to have struck the mast, lost its port wing and is shown here exploding on striking the water.”  CF (DHH file copy) Photo PMR 92-585.
This mixture of sadness and success was to be 404’s last combat operation of 1944. On 10 December, the Squadron was released for training; formation flying in the morning and “fam” trips for two new crews as well as an air test on which Z/404s forward bottom hatch came loose and chopped three inches off of a  prop blade on the starboard engine. Weather turned back an afternoon A/S patrol on the 11th while a morning outing on the 12th returned due to a lack of suitable targets. On 13 December, a Rover to the Svinoy Light area returned without incident after determining that the potential target was a Red Cross vessel.

Bundy was along for the next “no joy” trip on14 December; his first op in nearly a week. They left Dallachy on this “cloudy day with a feeling of snow in the air.” Before the force ended its patrol, he was detailed to provide navigation escort to a troubled Mustang and landed at Milltown at 1520. Another 3 hours and 35 minutes logged. Meanwhile, crosswinds were so bad at Dallachy that the rest of the force had to land at Banff. The next day, despite ominous cloud and strong winds many 404 Sqn aircraft were in the air. Everybody who had landed out the day before returned home to Dallachy while another strike went out just after noon, only to be turned back by weather before reaching the target area. By 16 December, the airfield was socked in by “very windy and wet” weather to the extent that no flying was possible. Dances were held in both the NCOs’ and Officers’ messes with full attendance. On the 17th, a number of promotions came through and Bundy’s navigator, Flight Sergeant Wright, became one of three newly commissioned officers on squadron.

Shulemson, the much respected and talented R/P expert, was posted out to a new job at RAF Station Banff on the 18th. The note, “turned back due to bad weather,” featured in the ORB entries for sorties launched on the 18th and 19th. F/O Bundy and P/O Wright were aloft in NE800 for the second of these. After an operation was cancelled “due to unfavourable met reports” on 20 December, the squadron spent the day formation flying and on air tests. Downtime from actual ops was never wasted. Personnel also sent confections from their personal Christmas parcels to some 75 children at Spey Bay School. The duff local weather reportedly worsened towards Norway throughout the next day as well. Thus released for training, the Buffaloes kept busy with formation flying practice, R/P practice, and air tests. This activity continued into the 22nd as the weather improved over Dallachy but remained untenable in the usual target areas.
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With a “cool, clear” sky over the airfield, 23 December started out with the promise of operational activity. Schoales (in NT991 EE•E) led ten 404 Sqn Beaufighters aloft with the first takeoff recorded at 0715. The Bundy/Wright crew was present in NE686 EE•T. Nine other Beaus from 144 Sqn, along with a 333 Sqn outrider Mosquito and a specially-equipped Warwick, both out of Banff, made up the balance of the force. Despite a good Drem marker pattern laid on the water by the Warwick, a systematic search in the Itteroene – Stadlandet area, and an independent Rover by two 404 aircraft, nothing was found. All, except one Beaufighter, returned to base after four and a half hours in the air. Missing was Y/404 who had become separated in the soup trying to locate the Drem and, not finding it, wisely set course for home on their own.
R/P! The 3” Rocket Projectile (R/P) tipped with an armour piercing (AP) warhead was the primary anti-shipping weapon used by 404 Sqn from early 1944 until the end of the war. The four rounds under the wing of this Beaufighter feature the later AP Mk.II (or Type J) warhead which gave much better water entry and underwater travel ballistics due in large part to its double-ogival profile. The rails are of the RP Mk.III type which came into use some weeks prior to the Type J warhead in late 1944. The rocket motors may also be of the improved type also being introduced around this time. Each rail is set at a slightly different angle of incidence, indicating that this aircraft’s rig is harmonized for a predetermined impact grouping at a set dive angle. The “pigtail” electrical leads hanging out of the rear of each rocket body would be plugged in to the aircraft's electrics just prior to takeoff. Beaufighter NE686 EE•T sits in the background in November-December 1944 era markings. The author’s collection
Christmas Day 1944 dawned to a fine morning and the Squadron was released from 1100 to 2359. The officers served two sittings of Christmas dinner at 1200 and 1300 as rain showers developed outside. The festivities, as they were, continued into the afternoon when free issue candy, chocolate bars, and cigarettes at the base’s newly established Canada House and later onwards to the Flights’ crew room where ground and aircrew mingled.

Another op was on for Boxing Day, with F/L Howie Wainman leading nine Buffaloes in company with 12 other Dallachy Wing Beaus, and a trailing ASR Warwick, on an early morning patrol. The strike force searched the south Norwegian coast from Feisten Light to Okso. Although shipping was sighted in Kristiansand (S)  Harbour, the position was determined to be less than ideal for attacking aircraft so they left it alone and returned to safe landings after a five hour trip. Later in the afternoon (1400) three Buffaloes accompanied a larger force from the Wing’s other squadrons on a no-joy patrol between Egero and Songvaar. The next day was noted as being “fine… although somewhat cloudy” but flying was limited to training hops and air tests.
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After an overnight snowfall that rebated to gentle flakes in the morning light of 28 December, 404 Sqn contributed 12 Beaufighters to a 26 aircraft strike force out of Dallachy. Picking up two outrider Mosquitoes and two Fraserburgh-based ASR Warwicks plus six Peterhead-based 315 Squadron Mustangs [the ORB mistakenly identifies them as Mosquitoes) all staging from Banff, the force set out across the North Sea. The strike force made landfall at Holmengraa and patrolled north. No shipping was found and all elements returned to their home airfields. For Bundy, Wright, and NE800 this meant another 4.5 operational hours logged. They were up again the very next day for a Rover of similar duration. They made landfall but weather turned them back sometime into their patrol along the Norwegian coast. There was no operational flying on the 30th. Released for training, two new crews were taken up for local flying familiarization and others did some formation flying. The last day of 1944 was a mild one with ops on the board. The Canadian squadron contributed nine (a tenth launched but returned almost immediately with electrical problems) Beaus led by F/L JD Taylor in “The Ancient Mariner” (see LZ451 EE•M above). With a potential target turning out to be four neutral Swedish M/Vs, the force returned without incident.
Squadron Operations – 1945
Although he may have participated in some training flights in the interim, Bundy had flown his last operational sortie of 1944 on 28 December. Looking back on the year, he may not have realized that he was probably the most combat-experienced black pilot in the entire RCAF. Casting ahead, he and Wright managed to log only two operational hops through January 1945. A mishap on the first of these, in combination with a very severe winter at Dallachy, may have had something to do with his crew’s limited involvement for the month.

On 6 January, they were aboard trusty old NE800, one of six 404 Sqn Beaufighters taking off into weather described as “mild, cloudy….” The Buffaloes formed up with 20 other aircraft, including an escort of 12 Mustangs of 315 Sqn and an ASR Warwick of 279 Sqn. Soon after making the Norge coast at Helliso Light in deteriorating weather, a self-propelled barge was attacked by a single 404 Sqn Beau and three from 455 Sqn. T/404 claimed 2 dry and 3 possible wet hits plus numerous cannon strikes. The target was last seen drifting without power towards the shore. The weather continued to worsen as other larger vessels were spotted. “Snow squalls prevented attack” was noted in the diary. After making their way back to the Helliso Light waypoint as scattered singles and pairs, the force members set course for home. B/404, which had returned an hour after takeoff due to electrical failure, made it back to Dallachy. H/404 and L/404 also made home base after completing the mission. Meanwhile G/404 landed at Lossiemouth while N/404 – Bundy’s aircraft – accompanied T/404 into Milltown. All of these 18 Group, Coastal Command, stations were within a short flying distance of each other and such “landing out” was a common occurrence if required for safety reasons. The Beaus had taken off between 1315 and 1327 in the afternoon. By the time N and T arrived over Milltown, darkness was setting in. Rancourt (T/404) landed at 1740 and Bundy at 1814. Although scattered, everybody had made it back to Group airfields in northeast Scotland. Rancourt returned to Dallachy as soon as weather permitted, but “’N’ was found to be have been slightly damaged on landing so did not return.”

Beaufighter NE800s Form 78 shows a “FB [in-flight battle damage] Cat[egory] AC [repair is beyond the unit capacity, but can be repaired on site by another unit or a contractor]” entry for 8 or 9 January 1945 (the date entry is barely legible). Subsequent entries show a repair on site at Milltown commencing 12 January, and a return to 404 Squadron at Dallachy on 16 February. Although this aircraft stayed with the squadron until they converted to Mosquitoes, she did not fly as frequently on operations anymore. The wording in the squadron record is somewhat ambiguous. At first it leads one to believe that Bundy may have experienced a landing incident, but the “FB” status on the aircraft’s record indicates that it might have incurred some (flak?) damage over the target and that this was not discovered until after shut-down at Milltown.
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Meanwhile the squadron went on to fly additional successful ops on 8, 9, and 10 January. For the balance of the month, when not pitching in manpower to help clear the massive mid-month snow accumulations at Dallachy, they were busy planning and launching strikes only to be frustrated by bad weather and, except for random encounters with fly-over flak, the nonappearance of the enemy. With NE800 still in the hands of a Bristols (the company which produced the Beaufighter) repair party within the civilian repair organization, Bundy and Wright reappear in the ORB for the last op of the month, flying Beaufighter NE687 EO•B (Squadron codes had changed from “EE” to “EO” earlier in January).  F/O JR “Roj” Savard led the nine-aircraft 404 Squadron element within a Wing effort of 26 Dallachy Beaus. After rendezvous with their escort of 65 Sqn Mustangs and an ASR Warwick, the force headed out across the North Sea to make landfall at Stadlandet. The weather made for very bad visibility and the strike leader called it a day. All of the Buffaloes made it back okay but one of the Mustangs went missing and a 144 Sqn Beaufighter ditched off of Sumburgh. 
Sometime in mid January 404 Squadron was assigned a new two-letter squadron identification code. The “EE” that had been with them for quite some time was replace by “EO” circa early-to-mid January. In this photo, L, S, Z, and D/404 pose in textbook formation for the camera. One of a series of similar images which were almost certainly taken on 18 February 1945 when S/L Schoales, DFC, and F/L Bolli took official Air Ministry photographer F/L BJH Daventry up in the station hack Beaufort, while “four crews practiced formation flying.” Allan Bundy flew NV427 EO•L in these markings and NT916 EO•S before the code change. Hit in the starboard engine, L/404 went missing during a strike on 8 March 1945 with F/O Ridge and P/O McCartney aboard. IWM CH17872 via the author’s collection
February also came and went with only a small number of operational sorties recorded for Allan Bundy. He and Wright made three uneventful trips; the first and second were in NV291 EO•H on the 5th and 15th while the third was in NV427 EO•L on the 21st. All were uneventful due to either weather or the lack of suitable targets. Meanwhile, the squadron had suffered its darkest day – known by all Buffaloes past and present as Black Friday – on 9 February when six of its Beaufighters, together with four aircraft from other units, failed to return. All were brought down either by flak or Luftwaffe fighters over the target in Førde Fjord. One of the downed 404 pilots, the ever-jovial “Roj” Savard, survived both the shoot-down and POW camp.

Although it started out highly variable, the March weather showed incremental improvement as the month wore on. Squadron activity started to pick up. Early in the month the Dallachy Strike Wing initiated a series of unorthodox (for a Coastal Command Strike unit) single-aircraft night patrols. In 404 Sqn, no sunk or damaged tonnages were claimed for these missions, but some dry hits were documented. One can only imagine that the sudden appearance of a rocket firing, cannon barking Beaufighter coming directly at you against the night sky had some effect on Kriegsmarine and merchant seamen alike. Any impacts on their morale and efficiency was difficult to counter at this late stage of the war. “Garrison Norway” had become seriously depleted, while the merchant ship tonnage available to both keep it supplied, and maintain the logistics flow to and from Germany was in steady decline. The harassment sorties went to handpicked navigation-savvy crews like S/L Schoales and F/L Jackson (nav) who, at 2203, launched the first of the four coordinated Lone Wolves that went out in the dark hours of 2 March 1945.

Like many others, though, Bundy and Wright crew were stuck with traditional daylight operations. Finally reunited with Beaufighter NE800 (now marked as EO•N), they took off at 1448 in the afternoon of 13 March, as one of eight Buffaloes led by F/O Coyne. They headed east towards Sandoy together with 19 other Dallachy Strike Wing Beaus. McCallan and Cook in Z/404, armed with cannon only, filled the outrider role in the absence of a Norwegian-manned 333 Sqn Mosquito. Sniffing ahead after the force made landfall, they reported a lack of targets and worsening weather so, minus one of their number, the force set course for home and landed without incident. The one was N/404. She developed engine trouble early on and Bundy was forced to abort. They were back on the ground at Dallachy by 1524. A very short hop indeed.

Engine problem solved, the next trip for both crew and aircraft was as part of a large force on 17 March. After patrolling the coast between Stadlandet and Storholm Light the weather worsened to the extent that the strike leader to call it off. Another uneventful trip but with just a minute under five and a half hours logged nonetheless.

On 23 March, 40 Dallachy Strike Wing Beaus (including 8 Buffaloes) sortied to attack shipping in Allesund Harbour. Going overland just above the haze after making landfall at Itteroerne the entire force missed its mark and came out at Haried. A few aircraft “attacked a few small boats in error” but they all returned without seeing the actual target.  The formation was accompanied by an RAF Film Production Unit (FPU) Mosquito which, in lieu of the anticipated combat, had to limit its recording to the picturesque ingress over the hazy, rugged Norwegian terrain. One aircraft developed an unspecified serviceability issue while still over the North Sea. Bundy (with Wright in NV183 EO•P) was thus detailed to accompany C/404 (Bedell and Campanella in NT985) back to Sumburgh. The troubled aircraft landed at the Shetland Islands airfield at 1520 and Bundy at Dallachy 35 minutes later.

The next day, even in the midst of a squadron move back to Banff, the Buffaloes still managed to contribute six aircraft, including the strike leader, to a full Wing effort of 28 Beaufighters on a shipping strike to Egersund Harbour. Once in the target area, strike leader Christison spearheaded the first wave and was hit. After quickly communicating his predicament, thus cueing his second to assume the strike leader role, his aircraft (NV428 EO•R) was seen to ditch successfully. Post strike, a survivor was spotted in a dinghy. The guys in the air presumed this to be “Chris”, since he’d reported that Toon (his navigator) had been wounded. A second flak-stricken 404 Squadron aircraft with the relatively inexperienced F/O LR Aljoe and F/S CE Orser crew aboard came down nearer the coast. Both men made it to the dinghy and were waving as the force departed the area. Oddly enough, their aircraft, NE339 EO•U, was the very one Christison had survived Black Friday in. F/O Bundy had flown this aircraft on several occasions as well. However, on this day he was flying a new “big tailed” Beau – RD421 EO•V. Given that all six of 404’s aircraft went in on the first wave, it can be assumed that some of his R/P had found their mark, for all six vessels present were left either smoking or burning and the largest M/V was seen to explode. The squadron’s other new-build Beaufighter with the redesigned tail, RD427 EO•O, received flak damage. Two other Dallachy aircraft, one each from 144 and 455 Sqns, also went missing on this strike.
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So ended the Buffaloes last combat operation on the Beaufighter. Christison was the commander of A Flight and had been near the end of his second tour. He had joined the squadron at the same time as the other WOMs (wise old men), W/C Pierce, S/L Schoales DFC, and F/L Bolli about four years prior. Toon, his navigator was also a second tour veteran. Aljoe and Orser were at the other end of the scale with only a couple of operational trips on Beaufighters. Aljoe had logged experience as 2nd Pilot on anti-submarine Liberators in the spring and summer of 1944 before joining the low-level strike fraternity via 132 OTU. None of the these downed airmen were ever seen again. (the full illustrated story, originally published in the CAHS Journal in 2 parts as The Last of the Buffalo Beaux, is available here as an instant-download PDF with hi-resolution images, maps and tables retained).
Beaufighter TF.X NE339 as EO•U of 404 Squadron when part of the Dallchy Strike Wing circa February / March 1945. Codes changed from “EE” to “EO” sometime in mid January and the white propeller spinners are from mid/late February. By the time the squadron made the switch to Mosquitoes, all of its aircraft had white spinners. Bundy and Wright flew this aircraft several times in November when it was still marked as EE•U. “Chris” Christison survived the Førde Fjord strike – Black Friday – in it on 9 February 1945. It was lost with a new crew aboard on a combat mission over Ergesund Harbour; S/L Christison DFC and Bar was lost in a different aircraft on this same operation. Bundy, flying V/404, survived it unscathed. LAC AC666 via the Carl Vincent collection
Allan Bundy and his navigator were somewhere in the middle of this experience range. These days they were crewing one of the squadrons newest Beaufighters equipped from the get-go with some of the latest gear including a new-technology beam approach system, an extremely sensitive radio altimeter, a landing light (strangely enough, long missing from the port wing of older R/P equipped Beaufighters!), and aerodynamic features which afforded better control in both pitch and yaw. By now, he and Wright were a tight cohesive team and were detailed to fly one of the still-novel night Rovers in the wee hours of 26 March. Taking of in V/404 at 0326, followed by Bedell and Campanella (in NV177 EO•Z) at 0327, they made landfall at Feisten Light. Coordinated with other Dallachy Wing Lone Wolves in the area they completed their patrol along the coast in the haze as the day dawned and, not being able to see down through the murk, returned to land at 0717. The other 404 kite had already returned at 0653. This was their last operational hop in a Beaufighter. Other crews went out on night Rovers or day recces to the Norge coast on three of the remaining days of the month but, aside from sporadic flak and one destroyer that was not engaged by the lone patroller due to flak, the enemy was nowhere to be found.
Beaufighter TF.X RD427 as EO•O of 404 Squadron circa March 1945. This series of late production TF.Xs featured a dorsal extension to the tail fin, enlarged elevators with refined balance, and provision for late-service A.R.I. (Aerial Radio Installation) equipment. Also new was the single element landing light in the port wing. In previous production TF.Xs destined for R/P specialist squadrons like 404, the twin-element landing light installed at the factory was either removed or disconnected while its Perspex cover was replaced with a screwed-on sheet metal fairing. It is assumed that this was done because the type of Perspex used could not withstand the heat of the slower-burning rocket motors used through early/mid 1943. O/404 was one of three, possibly four, Beaufighters configured thus on the squadron’s inventory before they converted to Mosquitoes. Allan Bundy flew one of the few V/404 on two operational sorties. The author’s collection
Beaufighter RD421 EO•V, with the entire squadron posing for a photograph. Bundy, who is sitting on wing beside the starboard engine nacelle, flew this aircraft on his last two missions in a Beaufighter.
Meanwhile the squadron was dividing its time and resources between Dallachy and Banff. A cohort was already in place at the latter to organize squadron facilities and accept their new aircraft; the deHavilland Mosquito FB.VI. Within 18 Group, which oversaw all Coastal Command activity in the north of Scotland, it was envisioned that Banff would specialize in Mosquito operations and Dallachy, Beaufighters. From a logistics standpoint it made perfect sense. In fact this was the reasoning behind the Buffaloes move the other way back in October, for the transition was already underway amongst the units who remained at Banff. Now 404 Sqn was returning as the newest Mosquito squadron within the massive Banff Strike Wing. Even as the final Buffalo Beaufighter combat ensued over Egersund Harbour the ground crews of 404 Squadron and 8404 Servicing Echelon were a full day into their technical training on the Mosquito. That morning the first of the aircrews, already bussed to Banff, commenced ground instruction. After flying two pilots into Banff on the 29th, W/C Pierce returned to Dallachy to report that the first of their Mosquitoes had arrived. Two more came in the next day and conversion flying started on the 31st. By 3 April 1945 all personnel and most of the technical servicing equipment belonging to the Squadron and Echelon had been moved. by the 6th conversion flying was in full swing with nine crews up, while a few servicing personnel detached to Dallachy to service Beaufighters not yet reallocated. A “no absentees” aircrew-hosted, groundcrew-invited Officers and NCOs party in the Ops Canteen came after a day of intense Mosquito flying. It comprised three dozen individual sorties in all; 35 conversion exercise flights and an air test. With rare exception, this level of activity kept up until 404 Sqn could declare itself operational on 21 April 1945. This was accomplished without either the benefit of dual control trainers (i.e. the Mosquito T.III) or the advent of training accidents. The conversion syllabus was made up of nine distinct exercises which could be completed within 20 flying hours under ideal conditions. All of the 404 Squadron crews, experienced Beau men as they were, came through without a hitch. Presumably F/O Bundy and P/O Wright logged at least 20 training hours on the type through the better part of April.
Anygumchum? (at right)… one of those neat little plays on words that show up from time to time on the noses of operational Second World War aircraft. This one, likely in response to the sheer gumption exhibited by the snarly lightweight and maneuverable Mosquito compared to the equally powerful but heavyweight (some would say overweight!) and not nearly as agile Beaufighter. Also reportedly a favourite question asked of squadron personnel by the local children. Mosquito RF838 EO•A was the first one to be received by the squadron, and as far as is known to date, the only one with any sort of nose art. RF852 EO•E in the background was flown by Allan Bundy on the 12 May 1945 VIP escort mission. The author’s collection 
Anygumchum?… the author’s graphic interpretation of this 404 Squadron Mosquito aircraft’s finish and markings. Artwork by the author (available in model decal form at www.aviaeology.com:   RCAF Mosquitoes: Canadians in Coastal Command #3: Scale model decal sets with 8 pages of historical and technical details on 404 Squadron Mosquitoes Written and illustrated by Terry Higgins. http://www.aviaeology.com/aod011-more-rcaf-mosquitoes.html
Mosquito:
Commencing on the 22nd, 404 Squadron documented four operational missions on its new aircraft through the remainder of April. On the first one, Catrano and Foord carried out a morning shipping recce in RF851 EO•H. Snooping eastward along the south Norwegian coast they came upon one each Bv138 and He115 seaplanes at their Ksevik moorings some 200 feet offshore. They swooped in and hammered the Bv138, leaving as quickly as they came through intermittent flak. The black smoke, still visible from 40 miles away, marked the Buffaloes first Mosquito victory. McCallan and Cook used the same aircraft when they sortied on a similar recce at 0425 the next morning and retuned at 0750 after an uneventful trip to the Naze area. On the morning of the 24th the OC, W/C Pierce led four cannon and machine-gun armed 404 Sqn Mossies as fighter cover to 31 other Mosquitoes of the Banff Strike Wing. When near the target area “Bad weather… prevented the formation from completing their patrol.” F/Os Gibbard and Burns flew a successful recce in RF842 EO•C on the morning of 26 April. Encountering “considerable flak” along the way they discovered multiple targets in a number of harbours and fjords and communicated the information to an inbound Dallachy Wing Beaufighter force, which carried out a successful attack. It was a fitting close to a busy month.

The squadron continued to enhance its Mosquito proficiency into early May as the weather tried to make up its mind between snow and rain, cloud and wind. Ops were mounted nonetheless. On the 2nd, Catrano and Foord flew a flak-dotted lone Rover to the Naze environs, sighted several vessels, but were forced to abandon the rest of their patrol due to weather. Earlier that morning four Buffaloes had provided fighter cover, together with 24 Peterhead Mustangs, for a strike force of 35 Banff Strike Wing Mosquitoes detailed to attack U-boats moving north in the Kattegat. They and their minesweeper escort were found and duly attacked. R/404 returned due to drop tank trouble while the other three stayed above the action, as fighter cover should, and watched the melee unfold below.

The squadron’s first R/P endowed Mosquito mission launched with eleven Mosquitoes joining a massive evening strike force of 72 aircraft detailed to attack shipping in Kiel Bay on 3 May. A navigation error and poor visibility led to the mission being scrubbed while R/404, accidentally separated from the main force had a fleeting no-shots-fired encounter with a Ju188. Notably, all a/c had drop tank troubles on this outing.

The first successful operational use of R/P by 404 Sqn Mosquitoes occurred the next day. On the afternoon of the 4th W/C Pierce led six other 404 Squadron aircraft as part of a 41 Mosquito strike to the same area. All but two of the Buffaloes (those being tasked as fighter escorts) were armed with R/P. X/404 – the OC’s aircraft – and Q/404 attacked an R-boat enroute with R/P, claiming 12 dry hits total.  Joined by D/404 and M/404 they came back around and attacked with cannon, leaving the “vessel a mass of burning debris”. A convoy of seven vessels was encountered and attacked a short time later. After severely mauling these vessels and leaving the scene, a ship towing a U-boat was sighted and attacked. With the exception of the two tasked with fighter cover, and A/404 which returned early with drop tank trouble, all R/P armed 404 aircraft fired their ordnance.

With victory not too far off and a real sense of it in the air, and with inclement weather threatening on the North Sea horizon from time to time, there was not much operational flying activity between 4 and 12 May 1945. Halfway along, V-E Day was official and the entirety of RAF Station Banff was released for the day. Either side of that training and skill sharpening wore on. Aircrew continued to be posted in and out. The admin types busied themselves with mountains of paperwork, the repat ship HMCS Buffalo – a single masted behemoth made up of three empty Mossie 100gallon drop tanks and fueled by various spirits – was launched, and effigies of Hitler and Goering were burned at the celebration bonfire stake.
The magnificent "Repat Boat” (Repatriation Boat) "designed" and built by 404 Squadron groundcrew as part of their VE Day celibrations. The sign reads “HMCS Buffalo” – 'Repat Boat' – Canada or Bust – Ted Pierce – And His – WAAF Pursuit Boys".  From Author's Collection
A massive bonfire is set to be torched as soon as the sun sets – part of the Wings's VE Day celebrations. The huge pile of combustibles is topped by effigies of Adolph Hitler and Herman Goering, chief of the Luftwaffe. Men like Bundy and Wright deserved the symbolic release from the stress of battle offered by the fun they were about to have this night. From Author's Collection
On the 12th Bundy and Wright were one of six Buffaloes tasked as A/A escort to a naval force proceeding to Norway with VIPs onboard. Originally taking off in RF844 EO•D they had to return due to an unspecified issue. After some 15 minutes they were airborne again in RF852 EO•E but it too had to be flown back early due to an unspecified snag. All told he and Wright spent what must have been a frustrating hour in the air while the rest of the escort continued with the four-hour sortie. The squadron pitched multiple aircraft into ASR sweeps on the 14th, 15th, and 16th. On the 18th F/O “Roj” Savard (shot down 9 February 1945) and W/C “Chuck” Willis (shot down 30 March 1944) arrived back at the squadron. They had telephoned from Bournemouth the week before having just returned as liberated POWs.

The next sortie to appear in the ORB took off from Banff at 0831. F/O Bundy and P/O Wright were up on a met recce in RF857 EO•Q. The purpose was to make sure all was well for two squadrons of Norwegian Spitfires to leave Dyce headed for Stavanger. Ranging as far as 0305E they reported clear skies and landed at 1012. The entry’s final words were “Task Accomplished.”
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Although S/L “Bobby” Schoales, DFC, (fittingly enough in Z/404) and a 333 Sqn Mosquito escorted the Spitfires, landed with them at Stavanger-Sola later in the day, and then flew on with them to Gardermoen near Oslo, returning on 24 May, it can be said that F/O Allan Bundy flew the last uninterrupted operational sortie –take-off to landing at RAF Station Banff – of a 404 Sqn aircraft. Buffalo soldier to the very last. His squadron was officially disbanded on 25 May 1945.
Mosquito FB.VI RF857 EO•Q  keeps company with another 404 Squadron Mosquito in the maintenance area at Banff, probably late April / early May 1944. By late May the factory-standard exhaust shrouds would have been removed and, whenever R/P launch rails were installed so would the drop tank guard rails as seen on A/404 above. These kept the R/P setup from being fouled by the drop tanks when they were punched off. Not being a combat tank, it was Coastal Command SoP for these large tanks to be dropped before any engagement. If they hung up, and they often did when first brought into service, then the aircraft had to abort the mission. Ed Lee via the author’s collection
From Dave O'Malley of Vintage Wings, February 2012:
The editor would like to thank Terry Higgins for his enthusiastic response to questions about Bundy's history. At that time we knew little, if anything, of his combat history, but Terry jumped in with both feet and assembled a story with the Bundy thread from work he is presently completing on 404 Squadron.  The amount of research and labour (of love) required to assemble a coherent yet compelling chronicle of Bundy's service is not lost on this editor. Bravo Zulu Mr. Higgins. I look forward to purchasing my copy of his forthcoming book about 404's incredible history.

Vintage Wings of Canada also published the related story, Black Buffalo, summarizing the broader story of pioneer black aviators in the RCAF of the Second World War and, for context, a more complete biography of Allan Bundy.
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