Murray Hogg was the son of George and Francis Julia Hogg; brother of Peter John Hogg

Involved in 20 operations (605 flying hours, 118 solo on Lancasters)

Operation 1. 25 July 1944 – Pilot’s log book. Bombed Stuttgart. Early return due to heavy icing. Lancaster LM167(GI:M)

Operation 2. 28 July 1944 – Pilot’s log book. Bombed Stuttgart from 20,000ft. Lancaster LM167(GI:M)

Operation 3. 1 August 1944– 77 aircraft attacked French flying bomb sites. 622 Squadron contributed 10 aircraft with Collon-Villers as the target. Took off at 1540hrs. The mission was abandoned on the instructions of the Master Bomber as there was 10/10s cloud over the site. Bombs were jettisoned to a safe landing weight and landed at 1903hrs. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 4. 3 August 1944 – 1,114 aircraft carried out major raids on Bois de Casson, Foret de Nieppe and Trossy-st-Maxim flying bomb stores. The weather was clear and all raids were successful. 622 Squadron’s target was Bois de Casson. Took off at 1120hrs, bombed at 1407 hours at 16,000ft and landed at 1545hrs. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 5. 4 August 1944 – 291 aircraft continued bombing flying bomb sites. 622 Squadron contributed 13 aircraft with Bec-d’Ambes as the target. Took off at 1335 hours and bombed oil tanks at 1801hrs from 14,000 ft. Landed at 2143hrs. At debriefing the crew reported that the target was clearly identified and that bombing was good. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 6. 5 August 1944 – 742 aircraft attacked flying bomb sites and oil storage depots. 622 Squadron contributed 14 aircraft with Bassons as the target. Took off at 1410 hrs and bombed the derricks on the river bank at 1902 hrs from 4,000ft. Landed at 2225hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing the target covered in smoke and flames. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 7. 8/9 August 1944 – 180 aircraft attacked oil storage depots. 622 Squadron contributed 15 aircraft with Foret de Lucheux as the target. Took off at 2155 hrs and bombed at 2354 hrs from 12,000ft. Landed at 0210hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing a number of fires on their target. Lancaster LL802 (GI:M)

Operation 8. 9/10 August 1944 – 311 aircraft attacked flying bomb sites. 622 Squadron contributed 15 aircraft with Fort-d’Englos as the target. Took off at 2155 hrs and bombed at 2321 hrs from 13,000ft. Landed at 0030hrs. At debriefing the crew reported that the target indicators were scattered. Lancaster PD219 (IGI:L)

Operation 9. 11 August 1944 – 459 aircraft attacked railway yards and bridges. 622 Squadron contributed 14 aircraft with Lens as the target. Took off at 1405 hrs and bombed at 1633 hrs from 15,000ft. Landed at 1755hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing their bombs straddle a line of trucks. Lancaster LL802 (GI:M)

Operation 10. 12/13 August 1944 – 379 aircraft Brunswick on an experimental raid using only H2S bombing indicators with no Pathfinder aircraft. 622 Squadron contributed 12 aircraft with Russelsheim as the target. Took off at 2155 hrs and bombed at 0022 hrs from 16,000ft. Landed at 0245hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing concentrated fires on their target. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 11. 14 August 1944 – 805 aircraft attacked Normandy battle area - Hamel. 622 Squadron contributed 14 aircraft with seven German troop positions facing the 3rd Canadian Division advancing on Falaise as the target. Took off at 1325 hrs and bombed Hamel at 1559 hrs from 9,000ft. Landed at 1739hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing a great deal of smoke and unable to see ground details Most of the bombing was accurate and effective although inaccurate bombing caused the 3rd Canadian Division to lose13 dead and 53 wounded from ‘friendly fire’. A large number of Canadian guns and vehicles were also hit. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 12. 25 August 1944 – 412 aircraft attacked Russelsheim Opel motor factory. 622 Squadron contributed 15 aircraft with Russelsheim as the target. Took off at 2040 hrs and bombed at 0100 hrs from 18,000ft. Landed at 0530hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing concentrated bombing but incendiaries were spread out. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 13. 26 August 1944 – Pilot’s log book. Bombed Kiel from 19,000ft. Lancaster ED474 (GI:S)

Operation 14. 29/30 August 1944 – 403 aircraft Stettin. 622 Squadron contributed 14 aircraft with Stettin as the target. Took off at 2110 hrs and bombed at 0203 hrs from 19,000ft. Landed at 0700hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing the waterway in the run in and the marking was good. Lancaster LM449 (GI:T)

Operation 15. 3 September 1944 – 675 aircraft attacked South Holland airfields. 622 Squadron contributed 10 aircraft with Eindhoven airfield as the target. Took off at 1525 hrs however inner port engine failed soon after takeoff and on instructions jettisoned bombs and landed at 1715hrs. Lancaster LM167(GI:M)

Operation 16. 6 September 1944 – 344 aircraft attacked Le Harve. 622 Squadron contributed 15 aircraft with Le Harve as the target. Took off at 1600 hrs and bombed at 1821 hrs from 7,500ft. Landed at 1945hrs. At debriefing the crew reported seeing a good and well concentrated attack. Lancaster NF965(GI:S)

Operation 17. 10 September 1944 – 992 aircraft attacked Le Harve. 622 Squadron contributed 16 aircraft with Le Harve as the target. Took off at 1525 hrs and bombed at 1740 hrs from 11,000ft. Landed at 1925hrs. Lancaster NF965(GI:S)

Operation 18. 11/12 September 1944 – 230 aircraft went mine laying in the Kattegat. 622 Squadron contributed 6 aircraft. Took off at 1930 hrs and dropped mines at 2309 hrs from 12,000ft. Landed at 0210 hrs. Lancaster LM283 (GI:O)

Operation 19. 15/16 September 1944 – 490 aircraft attacked Kiel and laid mines. 622 Squadron contributed 4 aircraft with Kiel Bay as the target. Took off at 2245 hrs. Aircraft damaged by flak and unable to release mines so mission was abandoned. Landed at 0355hrs. Lancaster NF964(GI:L)

Operation 20. 20 September 1944 – 646 aircraft attacked Calais. 622 Squadron contributed 17 aircraft with Calais as the target. Took off at 1435 and on outward journey (Squadron leader confirmed) encountered cumulus cloud. Emerging from the cloud over Essex, collided with another of the squadron’s Lancasters (LL802) at 1605. Locked together the planes fell near Wormingford, 6 miles NW of Colchester and burned out. (Note: Bomber command records the two Lancasters being on a training flight, but this is in error). Lancaster LM167(GI:N)

Entitled to but never issued the following medals.

1939-45 Star

Air crew Europe

France-Germany Star

Defence Medal

War medal 1939-45

NZ War Service medal

Posted to 622 Squadron on 17 July 1944. The crew of Lancaster I LM167/N consisted of Pilot F/O M.L. Hogg and

F/Eng Sgt J.A. DeAngelis, Nav F/Sgt F. Robinson,

B/A F/O A.T. Gill, W/Op F/O H.E. Pritchard RNZAF, Gnr F/Sgt J.M. Adams RNZAF, Gnr F/Sgt G.W.Fitness RNZAF. All died in crash on 20 September 1944.

Attended Otago Boys' High School, King Edward Technical College (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845611)) AWMM