An intruder mission was
a risky one, in which patience and stealth
were the prime virtues. Night after night,
418 took to their Bostons and flew alone at
low altitude to the enemy's airfields,
circling in the dark, waiting for the enemy
to approach for landing. When the airstrip
lit up, or the enemy aircraft turned its
landing lights on, the Boston would swoop in
suddenly and attempt to shoot down the enemy
on his approach. Then it would disappear as
swiftly as it had come, but not before it
had deposited its bombs on the runway.
The squadron flew its
first mission in March 1942. F/O de Mier had
probably already flown with another squadron
beofre being posted to 418. On 18 May 1942,
he and his crew prepared for an intruder
mission. That night 5 Bostons would be sent
out to the airfields of Schiphol,
Leeuwarden, Soesterberg, Eindhoven,
Gilze-Rijen.
Cpl Miller and his crew
were sent to Leeuwarden. The crew consisted of:
S/L P.S.Q.
Anderson, pilot
P/O William Falconer Young, navigator
Cpl Frank Jules George Miller, wireless
operator
F/O Sebastian Bernard de ier, air gunner
They took off in Boston
III W8318 from their base at Bradwell Bay in
Essex.
It seems the Boston was hit by AA fire from
Leeuwarden airfield, causing the oxygen
bottles in the cockpit to ignite. The pilot,
S/L Anderson, managed to bail out or was
thrown out of the plane and managed to open
his parachute.
The Boston came down at 01.15,
near Akkerwoude. All died in the crash
except S/L
Anderson. Although wounded, he is taken
prisoner by the Germans.
S/L Anderson died in an
air crash in 1951.
Cpl Frank Miller is
buried at Damwoude General Cemetery, Plot E.
Row 7. Grave 3.
0.
