Action This Day

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sat Aug 19, 2023 1:54 pm

421 Sqn RCAF (Lashenden – Spitfire IX) 19.8.43
Weather very good. The Squadron took part in Ramrod 209, airborne 1205 hours, being 1st Fighter Sweep. P/O Joyce did not return from this operation which was in the Abbeville area. P/O Joyce had just been notified that his commission had come through a few hours before taking off. He was a very promising pilot and had been with this Squadron for about five months. 12-plus ME109’s were engaged in this operation-and F/O Fleming damaged one. Squadron took off again on Ramrod 210 over the Ghent/Flushing area at 1715 hours, pancaking at 1845 hours. 30 sorties were flown for a total of 22:20 hours for the day. S/Ldr. McNair DFC & Bar returned to the Squadron after a week's rest at East Grinstead. F/O Mackenzie reported to the Squadron for duty.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire IX MA453 AU-? Pilot: P/O FC Joyce POW

BOMBER COMMAND
8 Mosquitoes to Berlin. 1 aircraft lost.

2nd TAF
During a morning escort to B-26s sent out to bomb Amiens/Glisy airfield, Typhoons of 182 Squadron encountered German fighters in the target area. Flt Lt G.F.Ball was shot down, ostensibly hit by Flak. After a long evasion he was eventually taken prisoner; he would later claim to have destroyed one of his attackers. Two more of the unit's aircraft were shot down by Fw 190s of JG 26 however, and three such aircraft were claimed by that Geschwader's 4. Staffel, two of them by Lt Hoppe and one by Lt Ernst Heinemann. Flg Off M.L.Fraleigh was killed, but Flt Sgt R.L.H.Dench was able to evade capture and would return later.

The Spitfire IXs were taking the measure of their opponents on this date, claims being made for an Fw 190 and three Bf 109s shot down, only one aircraft of 421 Squadron failing to return. L/JG 26 claimed three Spitfires shot down during the day and JG 2 claimed four, but the latter unit lost three Bf 109s to Spitfires.

USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-six 323d Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Amiens/Glisy Airdrome at 1130 hours; 35 387th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Poix/Nord Airdrome at about 1215 hours; and the 322d Medium Bombardment Group aborts due to thick cloud cover over it target, Bryas Sud Airdrome.

ITALY: NAAF P-40s sweeping across southern Italy attack a train and strafe several trucks; IX Fighter Command P-40s sweeping across southern Italy bomb roads and buildings; more than 150 NASAF B-17s and 70 IX Bomber Command B-24s, in separate formations, attack marshalling yards at Foggia; and approximately 100 NASAF medium bombers attack marshalling yards at Salerno and Sapri. 14th Fighter Group P-38 escort pilots down seven Axis fighters in a running fight southwest of Foggia and Salerno between noon and 1220 hours.

A 27th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36 pilot downs a Bf-109 while attack a marshalling yard at Catanzaro.

NETHERLANDS: A total of 93 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s, of 125 dispatched, attack Gilze-Rijen and Flushing/Vlissingen airdromes at about 1800 hours, but the entire 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing aborts its attack on the Woensdrecht Airdrome following two complete circuits over the target area in search of holes in the clouds through which bombs can be dropped. Losses from both wings are five B-17s downed and 50 damaged, plus one 4th Wing B-17 that is written off after crash-landing off the English coast after catching fire during the assembly. Crew casualties are nine wounded and 51 missing.

4th and 78th Fighter group P-47s undertake the penetration escort, and the 56th and 353d Fighter groups undertake withdrawal escort. A 78th Fighter Group pilot downs one GAF airplane, and 56th Fighter Group pilots down nine GAF fighters.

RAF
Base Changes
12 Sqn SAAF (Boston III) moves to Cuticchi
21 Sqn SAAF (Baltimore III/IV moves to Cuticchi
24 Sqn SAAF (Boston III) moves to Cuticchi
32 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to La Sabala
64 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Gravesend
88 Sqn (Boston III) moves to Handfordbridge
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Bradford Bay
219 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to La Sabala
302 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Fairlop

First and Last Operational Missions
222 Sqn (Hornchurch) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:18 am

401 Sqn RCAF (Staplehurst – Spitfire VB) 20.8.43
Weather: Clouds 3-5/10 at 2,000 ft., visibility 4-8-miles, wind 5-10 m.p.h. from South to S.E.
Serviceability: 16 a/c. States: Squadron available at dawn, released at 2000 hours.
Squadron firing (drogues) carried out at Shoreham. Rhubarb practice also carried out. CAN.R.52520 F/Sgt. W.C. Gunn was posted to Linton on Ouse. This N.C.O. had been with the Squadron since its institution as No. 1 Canadian (Fighter) Squadron.

2nd TAF
The Dutch 320 Squadron attacked a Dornier aircraft factory at Flushing with its Mitchells during the afternoon, but one of the attackers was hit by Flak in its port engine. Forced to ditch in the North Sea, the Mitchell sank in eight minutes, but little more than an hour later the crew were spotted in their dinghy by a pair of Mustang pilots. The latter were later relieved by Spitfires, and eventually, a Walrus arrived, picking up the grateful Dutchmen just two and a half hours after they had come down.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force activates the 482d Heavy Bombardment Group as a special testing and training unit for experimental radar blind-bombing devices. Personnel are drawn from the 92d Heavy Bombardment Group’s 329th Heavy Bombardment Squadron, which has already conducted experiments with British-made GEE blind-bombing radar, and from the moribund 479th Antisubmarine Group. Equipped with B-17s and B-24s, the new unit, which is operationally attached to the 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing and administratively overseen by the 92d Heavy Bombardment Group headquarters, is to take part in combat operations to test new equipment and techniques, test various radar devices, and train pathfinder lead-bomber crews from operational groups.

ITALY: NASAF B-25s attack a marshalling yard at Benevento; B-26s attack marshalling yards at Aversa and Capua; and NATAF and IX Fighter Command P-40s attack road and rail targets while conducting several sweeps across the toe of Italy.

In a large fighter battle near the Naples coast at about 1230 hours, 1st and 82d Fighter group P-38 pilots down 13 Axis fighters and damage many others.

SARDINIA: NAAF P-40s attack a marshalling yard at Monserrato.

RAF
Base Changes
403 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Headcorn
421 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Headcorn

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 2:01 am

414 Sqn RCAF (Ashford – Mustang I) 21.8.43
Wind: 8-12 m.p.h. Cloudy with intermittent main becoming continuous in west later in day. Visibility: 12 miles. 8 operational sorties for 11.25 hours total. F/L Stover and F/O Theriault left base at 1600 hrs. to carry out a Ranger in the Paris area. "Smoky" Stover attacked a tug towing 5-10 barges, strikes seen and tug enveloped in steam. "Lou" Theriault attacked a goods train and tug. Steam seen coming from both. Two other engines attacked and probably damaged at approximately 10 miles east of Houdon and at Rambouillet. F/L Stover and F/O Theriault separated over an aerodrome (believed Enghien/Moiselles) to avoid any possible flak. F/L Stover pursued and destroyed a Ju.88 that was flying south above the drome. At the time of sighting the E/A, F/L Stover heard a scraping noise over the R/T and looking back, saw a bright flash on the ground followed by a plume of smoke. F/L Stover believes that this may have been F/O Theriault's a/c hitting the ground as he was flying very low and might have collided with an obstacle on the ground. "Smoky" tried without success to contact F/O Theriault over the R/T. Popular "Lou" Theriault is now missing and his smiling cheerfulness is deeply missed by us in 414. Shortly after breaking off, F/L Stover saw another Ju.88 but could not attack as his gun would not fire. F/L Hutchinson, P/O Davidson flew on Rhubarb and penetrated as far as St. Julien. F/L Hutchinson attacked a pylon in Potigny area, observing strikes. Also attacked a goods train engine in the St. Remy area. Both pilots attacked an engine of a goods train between Bayeaux-Airel. Strikes, steam, and flames from bottom were observed. F/O Bernhardt, and F/O Monnacott flew across Channel at sea level, on Rhubarb but had to return after landfall had been made owing to bad weather. P/O Blakeney and P/O Charman attempted Rhubarb but were forced back due to the weather.

ADDENDUM – Mustang I AM160 RU-? Pilot: F/O LP Theriault RCAF KIA. He is buried in the Communal Cemetery, Reau, Seine et Marne.

2nd TAF
Two Mustang pilots from 414 Squadron on a 'Rhubarb' intercepted a Ju 88 low over Enghien Airfield, shooting it down between them. Flg Off L.P.Theriault's aircraft then struck an obstruction of some nature and he crashed to his death.

USAAF
ITALY: NASAF B-17s and B-26s attack marshalling yards at Aversa and Villa Literno, 1st and 82d Fighter group P-38 escort pilots down five Axis fighters near Villa Literno at 1300 hours; IX Bomber Command B-24s attack an air depot and rail facilities at Cancello Arnone; and NATAF fighter-bombers attack road traffic in the toe of Italy.

TUNISIA: The 42d Medium Bombardment Wing headquarters begins overseeing operations of the Twelfth Air Force’s 17th, 319th, and 320th groups (all in B-26s), and the 325th Fighter Group, in P-40s.

RAF
Base Changes
195 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Coltishall
313 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Hawkinge
317 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Fairlop

First and Last Operational Missions
311 Sqn (Beaulieu) flies its first OM in the Liberator V

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Tue Aug 22, 2023 2:14 am

61 Sqn (Syerston – Lancaster III) 22.8.43
MET. 10/10ths Cloud.
TEN aircraft were detailed for operations against LEVERKUSEN. EIGHT of which successfully bombed the target. Fires were observed. Trip considered to be unsuccessful and no T.I's were observed at bombing being done on E.T.A. Defences were rather heavy in the target area. One large explosion was observed at 23.55 hours. Photos: cloud. ONE aircraft failed to return. ONE aircraft returned early owing to failures.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III DV228 QR-? Crew: Sgt JA Spencer KIA, Sgt TF Watkins KIA, Sgt J Punter KIA, Sgt S Williamson POW, Sgt SJ Banting KIA, Sgt E Johnson RCAF KIA, Sgt RW Horwood KIA. T/o 2111 Syerston. Shot down by Lt Heinz Bock (3rd victory) 8./NJG1, 5 km E Meerkerk, at 0146. Those who died lie in Hei-in-Boicop General Cemetery. Their average age was 23.

BOMBER COMMAND
LEVERKUSEN
462 aircraft – 257 Lancasters, 192 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitoes. 3 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes lost, 1.1 percent of the force.

The I.G. Farben factory at Leverkusen was chosen as the aiming point for this raid and it was hoped that some of the bombs would hit this important place. But the raid was not successful. There was thick cloud over the target area and there was a partial failure of the Oboe signals. Bombs fell over a wide area; at least 12 other towns in and near the Ruhr recorded bomb damage. Düsseldorf was the hardest hit of these other places; 132 buildings were destroyed and 644 seriously damaged. Solingen reported 40 people killed and 65 injured.

Only a few bombs fell in Leverkusen, where 4 people were killed. The I.G. Farben factory received only superficial damage, in the acid department; 5 Germans were injured in the factory and 1 foreign worker was killed.

Minor Operations: 12 Mosquitoes to the Ruhr and 6 to Hamburg, 47 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off Texel, 7 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

Route not exactly as planned, but close. Groups would have the following caveats: Outbound: Base - some point on the UK coast, generally. Inbound: Some point on the UK coast, generally - Base.

6 Group orders looked like this for Leverkusen - Outbound: Base - Spalding- Route as planned - Inbound: Flamboro - Base.

Route as planned: 5150N 0230E - Knokke - 5025N 0705E - 5025N 0705E - 5042N 0730E - TARGET - 5103N 0620E - Noorwijk - 5235N 0330E.

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USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-five 386th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack Beaumont-le-Roger Airdrome at 2110 hours, but the 322d Medium Bombardment Group aborts its attack on Poix/Nord Airdrome after its RAF escort fails to rendezvous.

ITALY: NASAF B-26s and escorting NATAF A-36s attack marshalling yards at Salerno, and NATAF P-40s conducting an armed reconnaissance attack motor vehicles in southern Italy. 86th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36 pilots down three Axis fighters and damage or possibly down four others in a running fight 25 miles west-southwest of Naples.

MEDITERRANEAN: As Headquarters, Ninth Air Force, prepares for its move to England, where it will serve as the USAAF’s tactical air force in northwestern Europe, it begins to divest itself of operational control of various headquarters and operational units: the 57th, 79th, and 324th Fighter groups (all in P-40s) are transferred to the XII Air Support Command; and the 12th and 340th Medium Bombardment groups (both in B-25s) are transferred to the XII Bomber Command.

RAF
Base Changes
55 Sqn (Baltimore IIIA/IV) moves to Gerbini III
223 Sqn (Baltimore IIIA/IV) moves to Gerbini III
225 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to San Francesco

First and Last Operational Missions
19 Sqn (Kingsnorth) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Wed Aug 23, 2023 1:49 am

460 Sqn RAAF (Binbrook – Lancaster I) 23.8.43
Weather: Fine to fair at first, scattered showers, but good breaks during the afternoon. Some local flying during the day. Twenty-four aircraft were detailed for operations and attacked BERLIN. One aircraft abandoned the mission owing to technical failure and the others went on. From reports on their return the raid was a complete success as fires were left burning all over the target area - P.F.F. appeared to be in excellent form and the M/C admirable. On this raid we had our first loss of the month.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I ED421 AR-? Crew: P/O AT Richards RAAF POW, Sgt WA Finlay KIA, F/S K Gay RAAF POW, Sgt JC Munro RAAF POW, Sgt JG Collins RAAF KIA, Sgt T Smale KIA, F/S J Marsh RAAF KIA. T/o 2055 Binbrook. Shot down by Hptm Wilhelm Herget (40th victory) Stab I./NJG4 1 km SE Thomsdorf at 0123. Those who perished are buried in Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. F/S Gay sustained two broken legs when the Lancaster exploded and was repatriated o 6 February 1945.

BOMBER COMMAND
BERLIN
727 aircraft – 335 Lancasters, 251 Halifaxes, 124 Stirlings, 17 Mosquitoes. The Mosquitoes were used to mark various points on the route to Berlin in order to help keep the Main Force on the correct track. A Master Bomber was used; he was Wing Commander J. E. Fauquier, the Commanding Officer of 405 (Canadian) Squadron. (The famous ‘Johnny’ Fauquier later commanded 617 Squadron.) 56 aircraft – 23 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters, 16 Stirlings – were lost, 7.9 percent of the heavy bomber force. This was Bomber Command’s greatest loss of aircraft in one night so far in the war.

The raid was only partially successful. The Pathfinders were not able to identify the centre of Berlin by H2S and marked an area in the southern outskirts of the city. The Main Force arrived late and many aircraft cut a corner and approached from the south-west instead of using the planned south-south-east approach; this resulted in more bombs falling in open country than would otherwise have been the case. The German defences – both Flak and night fighters – were extremely fierce.

Much of the attack fell outside Berlin – 25 villages reported bombs, with 6 people killed there – and in the sparsely populated southern suburbs of the city. Despite this, Berlin reports the most serious raid of the war so far, with a wide range of industrial, housing and public properties being hit. 2,611 individual buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged. The worst damage was in the residential areas of Lankwitz and Lichterfelde and the worst industrial damage was in Mariendorf and Marienfelde; these districts are all well south of the city centre. More industrial damage was caused in the Tempelhof area, nearer the centre, and some of those bombs which actually hit the centre of the city fell by chance in the ‘government quarter’, where the Wilhelmstrasse was recorded as having not a building undamaged. 20 ships on the city’s canals were sunk.

Casualties in Berlin were heavy considering the relatively inaccurate bombing. 854 people were killed: 684 civilians, 60 service personnel, 6 air-raid workers, 102 foreign workers (89 of them women) and 2 prisoners of war. 83 more civilians were classified as missing. The city officials who compiled the reports found out that this high death rate was caused by an unusually high proportion of the dead not having taken shelter, as ordered, in their allocated air-raid shelters. Arno Abendroth, who was living in the city at this time until evacuated in September 1943, says that when Doktor Goebbels, who as well as being Minister of Propaganda was also Berlin’s Gauleiter, received the report on the number of people killed outside the shelters, Goebbels ‘nearly went nuts’.

Minor Operations: 40 Wellingtons minelaying in the Frisians and off Lorient and St-Nazaire, 22 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

Route as planned.

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Routes Flown

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2nd TAF
Wg Cdr J.E.Johnson, Wing Leader of 127 Airfield, claimed a Bf 109 shot down during 'Ramrod 214', Flg Off Bob Middlemiss of 403 Squadron claiming a second damaged, both in the Gosnay area. It appears that they had actually shot down two Fw 190s of 10./JG 26.

USAAF
FRANCE: Cloud cover forces the 322d and 386th Medium Bombardment groups to forgo planned attacks against the Gosnay power station and Poix/Nord Airdrome, respectively.

ITALY: NASAF B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Battipaglia, and IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Bari.

MEDITERRANEAN: A 14th Fighter Group P-38 pilot downs one Bf-109 over the sea.

The 316th Troop Carrier Group is transferred from the Ninth Air Force to the XII Troop Carrier Command.

NETHERLANDS: In the hope of drawing GAF interceptors into a trap to be sprung by 158 P-47s from all four VIII Fighter Command groups, the 353d Fighter Group attempts to simulate a heavy-bomber formation on its way to a target. However, no GAF interceptors rise to the bait, and the ruse is never repeated.

SARDINIA: NAAF fighter-bombers attack barracks and a factory near Cagliari.

RAF
Base Changes
56 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Bradwell Bay
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Manston
243 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Lentini West

First and Last Operational Missions
252 Sqn (Berka III) flies its first OM in th Beaufighter XIC
254 Sqn (North Coates) flies its first OM in the Beaufighter VIC

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:09 am

196 Sqn (Witchford – Stirling III) 24.8.43
Today four aircraft took off on a Sea Search. One aircraft, EH 952, of "A" Plight, piloted by Sgt Brett did not return; Sgt. Brett and crew are posted missing. Weather: Cloudy. Vis. 3 - 6 miles at first increasing to over 10mls. Cloud 5 - 9/10th at 3000’. Wind. Calm or light S’ly.

ADDENDUM – Stirling III EH952 ZO-? Crew: Sgt PW Brett POW, Sgt RA Treadwell POW, Sgt EWJ Kerr POW, Sgt DH Canning POW, Sgt LH Huggins, Sgt DF Moore POW, Sgt E Lawton POW. T/o 1247 Witchford. Came down in the North Sea roughly 100 km W of Esbjerg, Denmark. All were picked up by the Danish fishing boat E403 Conni out from Esbjerg and whose crew had witnessed the Stirling entering the water.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
8 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 66 aircraft minelaying in the Heligoland, Frisian and Texel areas. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
CANADA: At the conclusion of the QUADRANT Conference in Quebec, Allied leaders agree that the target date for Operation OVERLORD, the invasion of France, will be May 1, 1944. Leading up to the invasion, the Combined Bomber Offensive—now known as Operation POINTBLANK—will seek the annihilation of the German Air Force in the West by means of a bombing campaign aimed at destroying the German aircraft industry and an attritional fighter campaign aimed at destroying the German Air Force in the air. Operational plans for the simultaneous British and American invasions of Italy (Operations AVALANCHE and BAYTOWN, respectively) are also approved.

FRANCE: Of 85 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s on their way back to the U.K. from bases in North Africa [see August 17, 1943], 58 attack the Bordeaux/Merignac Airdrome at about noon. Nine of the B-17s dispatched return to North Africa due to various mechanical problems, and one of these is written off. Combat losses are three B-17s downed, one written off after crash-landing in the U.K., and 40 damaged. Crew losses are the 30 men in the three missing bombers plus two missing after their bomber ditches off Land’s End due to fuel starvation.

The 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing gets off a late-afternoon strike against airfields in France, but only 22 of the 42 B-17s dispatched are able to find targets in the bad weather, and only about 30 tons of bombs are dropped on the Conches and Evreux/Fauville airdromes between 1844 and 1900 hours. Losses are one B-17 ditched (one crewman killed and nine rescued), 15 B-17s damaged, and nine crewmen wounded.

While 36 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s conduct a diversionary flight, 86 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s attack the Villacoublay Airdrome with 257 tons of bombs at 1800 hours. Sixty-four B-17s are damaged and ten crewmen are wounded.
While escorting the afternoon bombing mission, P-47 pilots down six GAF fighters over France. Of these, one is the first confirmed victory awarded to a pilot of the 353d Fighter Group, and another is the first confirmed victory awarded to Capt Francis S. Gabreski, a 56th Fighter Group P-47 pilot who will one day become the top-scoring USAAF fighter ace in the war against Germany (28 victories). Also, Maj Eugene P. Roberts, the commanding officer of the 78th Fighter Group’s 84th Fighter Squadron, in P-47s, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 and a Bf-109, his fifth and sixth confirmed victories, near Evreux at 1800 hours.

ITALY: NATAF fighter-bombers attack an Italian Navy cruiser off Sapri as well as various communications targets throughout southwestern Italy.

LIBYA: Following two months’ temporary duty with the IX Bomber Command (for Operation TIDALWAVE), the Eighth Air Force’s 93d Heavy Bombardment Group departs for England.

RAF
Base Changes
18 Sqn (Boston III) moves to Gerbini
118 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Merston

First and Last Operational Missions
69 Sqn (Luqa) flies its first OM in the Baltimore IV
417 Sqn RCAF (Lentini West) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VIII

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Fri Aug 25, 2023 1:10 am

4 Sqn (Odiham – Mustang I) 25.8.43

Weather. Heavy rain during the night clearing up at 0800 hours. Operations. P/O. R.H.M. Bailey, F/O. H. White, F/O. D.E. Fairbairn (AUS) and F/O E.A. Haigh were called on at 0500 hours for offensive operations over France but owing to bad weather these were cancelled. F/L.C.T.P. Stephenson and F/O.J.R.MacElwain (CAN) took off on a photographic sortie of enemy occupied airfield at BEAUVAIS - France. Sortie carried out successfully. No opposition - aircraft landed back at Base. F/O. I.S. Miller and F/O. L.W. Kirby took off at 1155 hours on a photographic reconnaissance of EUERVEAUX Aerodrome - France. Photos taken successfully. Aircraft attacked by two FW.190's on return and were both damaged by gunfire. F/O. Miller returned to Base and F/O. Kirby was reported as missing, believed killed.

ADDENDUM – Mustang I AG576 XV-?. Pilot F/O LW Kirby KIA.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
6 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 42 aircraft minelaying off Brest and the Biscay ports, 7 O.T.U. sorties. 1 O.T.U. Wellington lost.

2nd TAF
During low-level reconnaissance sorties, two Mustangs were lost to German fighters on this date and a third was damaged. At 1425 Fw Rudolf Alf and Fw Helmut Baudach of JG 2 each claimed a Mustang shot down - probably a pair of aircraft flown by Flg Offs R.H.Andrews and L.W.Kirkby, both of whom were killed. Alf claimed another between 1435-45, and this may have been a 4 Squadron machine in which Flg Off I.S.Miller returned to base after it had suffered damage in an attack by an Fw 190.

USAAF
FRANCE: Twenty-one 387th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Rouen power station with 63 1,000-pound bombs at 1832 hours, and 31 322d Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Tricqueville Airdrome at 1834 hours with 44 tons of bombs. Two B-26s from each group are damaged, but there are no crew casualties.

ITALY: Seventy-five 82d Fighter Group P-38s and 65 1st Fighter Group P-38s mount a devastating low-level strafing raid against the Foggia Airdrome complex. The P-38s claim 137 Axis airplanes destroyed or damaged and also strafe numerous antiaircraft emplacements, airfield buildings, and such equipment as can be seen from the air. All told, two 1st Fighter Group P-38s and their pilots are lost. The raid is so effective that not one Axis airplane is encountered in the air over the multiple targets. Then, as soon as the P-38s depart the Foggia area, 136 NASAF B-17s, escorted by the 14th Fighter Group, drop 240 tons of bombs on four of the Foggia satellite fields. An estimated 60 Axis aircraft are damaged or destroyed on the ground in this phase of the attack. Also, IX Bomber Command B-24s attack the Foggia marshalling yards.

LIBYA: Following two months’ temporary duty with IX Bomber Command (for Operation TIDALWAVE), the Eighth Air Force’s 44th and 389th Heavy Bombardment groups depart for England.

UNITED KINGDOM: The 20th Fighter Group, in P-38s, arrives in Scotland by ship and is formally assigned to the VIII Fighter Command. Owing to a shortage of P-38 aircraft in the Mediterranean, the 20th Fighter Group will take an inordinately long time becoming fully operational.

RAF
Base Changes
256 Sqn (Mosquito NFXII) moves to Woodvale
350 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Digby
451 Sqn RAAF (Hurricane IIC/Spitfire VC) moves to LG.106

First and Last Operational Missions
43 Sqn (Pachino) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
253 Sqn (La Sabala I) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIC

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sat Aug 26, 2023 2:37 am

401 Sqn RCAF (Staplehurst – Spitfire VB) 26.8.43
Weather: Clouds 7-10/10 at 2,000 ft., visibility 5-6 miles, wind 4-7 m.p.h. from S.S.E.
Serviceability: 60 minutes at Dawn, released at 2000 hours. Serviceability: 16 a/c.
Pilots engaged in low flying and shoot-up arranged in co-operation with the Army through Capts. Pierce and Lines, Army Liaison Officers. All officers engaged in the healthy exercise of digging slit trenches alongside the Dispersal. The Squadron was airborne at 1610 hours for briefing at Tangmere. After briefing, the Sqdn. took off from Tangere at 1800 hours as part of Wing close escorting 36 Marauders to Caen-Carpiquet on Ramrod 5. The bombers made a good attack on the aerodrome. Heavy accurate flak encountered around the target area and one Marauder was hit and one engine knocked out. Red Section, headed by S/Ldr. E.L. Neal, DFC, were detached to guide it safely to England. S/Ldr. Neal proposed to land it at Ford aerodrome where conditions appeared more favourable, but he was ordered by Wytox to guide it to Shoreham. The aircraft landed, but was seen to crash land. No enemy aircraft encountered. All aircraft landed safely at base at 1950 hours

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
32 aircraft minelaying off Brest and the Biscay ports, 1 O.T.U. sortie. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
ALGERIA: A 350th Fighter Group P-38 pilot downs two Bf-109s 15 miles off Taher at 1725 hours.

ENGLAND: The 356th Fighter Group, in P-47s, is assigned to the VIII Fighter Command’s 65th Fighter Wing. (The new unit’s ground echelon is in England and the pilots and aircraft are on the way.)

FRANCE: Thirty-six 323d Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Caen/Carpiquet Airdrome at 1846 hours with more than 47 tons of bombs. There are no losses to enemy action, but a B-26 is damaged beyond repair when it overshoots the runway while landing.

ITALY: At least 80 NASAF B-17s attack Capua Airdrome. Two P-38 pilots with the 14th Fighter Group’s 48th Fighter Squadron, Capt Herbert E. Ross and Capt Sidney W. Weatherford, achieve ace status at about noon when they each down a Bf-109 over Capua Airdrome. Two other Bf-109s are also downed in this action by 48th Fighter Squadron pilots.

More than 100 NASAF medium bombers attack Grazzanise Airdrome and a satellite runway, and a 1st Fighter Group P-38 escort pilot downs one Bf-109 over the target at 1245 hours.

NATAF P-40 fighter-bombers attack Carloforte, San Pietro Island, and NATAF A-20s and B-25s attack a variety of communications targets and gun emplacements throughout southern Italy. 33d Fighter Group P-40 pilots down three Bf-109s over southern Italy during the afternoon.

MEDITERRANEAN: RAF aircraft of the WDAF and former IX Fighter Command units are assigned operationally to NATAF.

SARDINIA: NAAF P-40s strafe targets of opportunity during a sweep across southern Sardinia.

RAF
Base Changes
74 Sqn (Hurricane IIB) moves to Idku

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sun Aug 27, 2023 3:20 am

428 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Halifax V) 27.8.43
Sixteen aircraft were en operations from this Unit. The target Nuremburg was successfully bombed. One aircraft, captained by 1349419 Sgt. Mitchell, A.L. and F/O J.A.M. McLeish (J9562) 2nd Pilot, failed to return. Pilots from six now crews were out as 2nd Pilots on this raid. Two aircraft had to return early from this raid due to technical failures. Photographs of this raid were very good, five showing ground detail.

ADDENDUM – Halifax V EB216 NA-R. Crew: Sgt AL Mitchell KIA, F/O JA MacT McLeish RCAF KIA, Sgt HA Gordon KIA, Sgt GS Brown RCAF POW, Sgt C Lunny RCAF POW, Sgt CR Lott POW, Sgt AEE Gourd KIA, Sgt JT Hamer RCAF KIA. T/o 2117 Middleton St. George. Shot down by Hptm Heinrich Wohlers (18th victory) Stab.1/NJG6 near Jungholzhausen/Biblis at 0133. Those who perished lie in the Durnbach War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
674 aircraft – 349 Lancasters, 221 Halifaxes, 104 Stirlings. 33 aircraft – 11 of each type on the raid – lost, 4.9 percent of the force.

The marking for this raid was based mainly on H2S. 47 of the Pathfinder H2S aircraft were ordered to check their equipment by dropping a 1,000-lb bomb on Heilbronn while flying to Nuremberg. 28 Pathfinder aircraft were able to carry out this order. Heilbronn reports that several bombs did drop in the north of the town soon after midnight. The local officials assumed that the bombs were aimed at the industrial zone; several bombs did fall around the factory area and other bombs fell further away. No industrial buildings were hit; one house was destroyed but there were no casualties.

Nuremberg was found to be free of cloud but it was very dark. The initial Pathfinder markers were accurate but a creepback quickly developed which could not be stopped because so many Pathfinder aircraft had difficulties with their H2S sets. The Master Bomber (whose name is not recorded) could do little to persuade the Main Force to move their bombing forward; only a quarter of the crews could hear his broadcasts. Bomber Command estimated that most of the bombing fell in open country south-south-west of the city but the local reports say that bombs were scattered across the south-eastern and eastern suburbs. The only location mentioned by name is the Zoo, which was hit by several bombs. 65 people were killed.

Minor Operations: 47 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off La Pallice, Lorient and St-Nazaire, 10 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Wellington minelayer lost.

Route as planned:

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Route as flown by 6 Group

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2nd TAF
Six Bostons of 107 Squadron attacked Gosnay power station at low-level. During the attack one bomber was hit by Flak and collided with another over Liliers, both aircraft crashing. Fw 190s then attacked and a third bomber failed to return, last being seen 14 miles from the French coast.

USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-five 386th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack Poix/Nord Airdrome with more than 542 tons of bombs at 0826 hours. This attack is unopposed, but the 322d Medium Bombardment Group sustains one B-26 missing and six damaged in an attack by GAF fighters after aborting its attack on a power station at Rouen because of heavy cloud cover. Crew losses are six missing and two wounded.

In support of Operation CROSSBOW, the RAF bombing campaign against German V-weapons facilities and factories, 187 1st and 4th Heavy Bombardment wing B-17s, of 224 dispatched, attack V-1 launching sites around Watten with 368 2,000-pound bombs between 1846 and 1941 hours. Four B-17s are lost, one ditches (crew saved), and 98 are damaged, of which one is written off after crash-landing at its base. Crew losses are one killed, 32 missing, and 18 wounded.

A 56th Fighter Group P-47 escorting the B-17s is attacked and damaged by an RAF Spitfire, and a 353d Fighter Group P-47 is downed in an engagement with GAF fighters.

ITALY: Thirty-six unescorted 310th Medium Bombardment Group B-25s dispatched against a marshalling yard at Benevento, northeast of Naples, are met over the shoreline by an estimated 50 Axis fighters, which make repeated attacks on the bomber formation all the way through the flight to the target and early in the withdrawal phase. Also, flak over the target is extremely heavy. Nevertheless, all the B-25s attack the target, including one B-25 that completes the bomb run with both engines on fire. For the loss of three B-25s, the target area is left in flames and a subsequent bomb-damage assessment indicates that the attack has severed three main rail lines running through Benevento.

NASAF B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Sulmona; NASAF medium bombers attack a marshalling yard at Caserta; and NATAF aircraft attack a large number of transportation targets and gun emplacements throughout southern Italy.

1stLt Carroll S. Knott, a P-38 pilot with the 14th Fighter Group’s 49th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 over Sulmona at 1145 hours. This is one of six Axis aircraft downed over southern Italy within the hour by P-38 pilots of the 1st, 14th, and 82d Fighter groups.

RAF
Base Changes
93 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Panebianco
143 Sqn (Beaufighter XIC) moves to St. Eval

First and Last Operational Missions
152 Sqn (Lentini East) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
170 Sqn (Odiham) flies its last OM in the Mustang I and its first OM in the Mustang IA

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Mon Aug 28, 2023 1:49 am

198 Sqn (Manston – Typhoon IB) 28.8.43
0455 - 4 aircraft with S/Ldr. J. Manak in "N", F/Lt. L.S.B. Scott in "0", F/O.A.R.F. Jonas in "A" and F/O. H. Freeman in "U" take off as escort to 4 aircraft of 137 Squadron (Hurri. 4 R.P.s)on combined "ROADSTEAD". Nothing seen.

1540 - F/Set. B.F. Gilland (Can) and F/Sgt. H. Donaghy in "F" and "H" respectively, take off for Rhubarb and score 1 Loco (Cat. C) near EECLOO (Gilland) and 1 Barge (Cat. 3) near EECLOO also Gilland's, 4 Barges (Cat. 3) near AELTRE (1 to Gilland and 3 to Donaghy). Donaghy is hit in main spare of starboard mainplane on way out and "H" goes in to dock for mainplane change.

1835 - 4 aircraft with S/Ldr. J. Manak (Czech) in "N", F/O. W. Breck (Can) in "A", F/Lt. L.S.B. Scott in "Q" and P/O. C.R. Abbott (Can) in "B" take off as diversion Fighter Sweep to RAMROD S. 10 the attack by R.P. Hurri 4's on North and South Lock Gates of WELMELDINGHE CANAL Flight flies parallel to Belgian Coast towards N.E. and receives intense flak from OSTENDE, BLANKENBERGHE and ZEEBRUGGE. Flight turns starboard and flies East- crossing coast at KNOCKE. At same time the C.O's (S/Ldr. J. Manak) aircraft is seen to be streaming black smoke which gives place to white. At same time, the Hurricanes call over R/T that operation is abandoned because of unsuitable weather and upon S/Ldr. Manak saying "We are going out again" the whole Flight makes a steep turn and formation becomes somewhat mixed. P/O. C.R. Abbett (Can) follows the CO. out, who is still streaming white smoke and who is seen to climb to 800 feet and jettison hood and then glide gently down to make a perfect belly landing on the sea 2-3 miles West of KNOCKE. There is a gale of wind blowing (40 mph) however and the sea is rough, and as a result the C0's aircraft is seen to nose over and plunge in a welter of foam as soon as forward speed is lost. Thus vanished from our "ken" the able leader, who, coming to us fired by the thought of Czechoslovakia in her agony and backed by a wide and glowing record in his 3 years with the R.A.F. so inspired our men with his air of determined, ruthless efficiency, his personal charm and his utter disregard for personal safety, that, in the space of four short months he raised the Squadron from a rabble of bewildered frustration into the keen and efficient Fighting Force it is today. We shall miss him and our gradual realisation of his lossus rendered all the more hard when it is borne upon us too, that we have also lost a Flight Commander - F/Lt. L.S.B. Scott, DFC. - who came to us from No. 1 Squadron a few days ago with so fine a record, and who had shown every sign of becoming a first rate leader for "A" Flight. He was last seen immediately after the Flight turn, completing a turn of 360⁰ and heading inland, apparently in full control.

ADDENDUM – Typhoon JP613 TP-N. Pilot: S/Ldr J Manak POW. Shot down by Flak.

Typhoon IB JP516 TP-O. Pilot: F/Lt LSB Scott POW. Shot down by Flak.

USAAF
ITALY: NASAF B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Terni; NASAF B-25s attack a marshalling yard at Cancello Arnone; NASAF B-26s attack Sparanise and a marshalling yard at Aversa; and NATAF A-20s, B-25s, and P-40 fighter-bombers attack numerous rail targets and road junctions throughout southern Italy.

NAAF fighters down 13 Axis fighters over Italy throughout the day. 1stLt Richard A. Campbell, a P-38 pilot with the 14th Fighter Group’s 37th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s over Lake Belsena at 1220 hours. Campbell’s credits are among six Bf-109s downed by 14th Fighter Group pilots at about 1220 hours. Also, 1stLt Herman “W” Visscher, a P-38 pilot with the 82d Fighter Group’s 97th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Caviano at 1500 hours. Visscher’s is one of four Axis fighters downed in the Naples area by the 82d Fighter Group between 1500 and 1545 hours.

SARDINIA: NAAF P-40s bomb and strafe targets of opportunity all across southern Sardinia. Capt Frank J. Collins, a P-40 pilot with the 325th Fighter Group’s 319th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 during a group fighter sweep over southern Sardinia. In all, seven Bf-109s are downed over Sardinia by 325th Fighter Group pilots between 0930 and 1030 hours.

RAF
Base Changes
2 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VC) moves to Faro
5 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk III) moves to Agnone
57 Sqn (Halifax II) moves to East Kirby
453 Sqn RAAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Perrinporth
614 Sqn (Blenheim V) moves to Barizzo

First and Last Operational Missions
7 Sqn (Oakington) flies its last OM in the Stirling III
15 Sqn (Mildenhall) flies its last OM in the Stirling I

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:22 am

401 Sqn RCAF (Staplehurst – Spitfire VB) 29.8.43
Weather: Clouds 4-8/10 st 2,500 ft., visibility 12 miles, wind 10-20 m.p.h. from W.S.W.
Serviceability: 16 aircraft. State: Available at 0845, released at 1830 hours.
Gun testing and air firing practices were carried out during the day. Operations were scheduled during the day, but never materialized owing to poor weather conditions over France.

BOMBER COMMAND
4 Oboe Mosquitoes to Cologne and 4 to Duisburg. 1 aircraft lost

USAAF
ENGLAND: MajGen William E. Kepner succeeds MajGen Frank O’D. Hunter as commanding general of the VIII Fighter Command. Although Hunter’s failed fighter-sweep strategy has been rendered moot for several weeks already by an aggressive new fighter-escort strategy, it is Hunter’s replacement by the sanguinary Kepner that marks the actual rise of the USAAF fighter force to the status of a strategic weapon in northwestern Europe.

ITALY: NASAF B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Orte; NASAF B-26s attack Torre Annunziata; and NATAF fighters escorting the NASAF bombers attack rail targets and gun emplacements along the bomber routes.

A 52d Fighter Group Spitfire pilot downs an Me-210 over Ustica Island at 0950 hours, and 14th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down three Mc.202s and damage or possibly down a dozen Bf-109s over Orte between 1020 and 1030 hours.

RAF
Base Changes
43 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Panebianco
72 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Panebianco
111Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Panebianco
235 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Portreath
243 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Panebianco
462 Sqn RAAF (Halifax II) moves to Hosc Ruai

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Wed Aug 30, 2023 1:50 am

76 Sqn (Holme-on-Spalding Moor – Halifax V) 30.8.43
Monchen-Gladbach was the target for our Bombers during the night, and it is known that 13 of our bombers reached the target which was attacked successfully. Two aircraft returned early due to technical faults. It is regretted that S/L. Stuart (C" Flight Commander) was. lost. Aircraft "T" (P/O. Lemmon, Captain), when it was seen that one of his tyres had burst, causing his aircraft to swing violently, and suddenly burst into flames. The crew, however, were all saved before the bombs blew up. This of course caused the complete destruction of the aircraft. The total flying hours 72.05 hours. Nine aircraft which landed at Ricall were ferried to Base during the forenoon.

ADDENDUM – Halifax V DK207 MP-S. Crew: S/L ACLA Stuart KIA, Sgt DGJ Powell KIA, P/O K Holme KIA, Sgt WG Williams POW, Sgt DJ Joe POW, Sgt VT Bradley KIA, Sgt SC MacLennen RCAF KIA. T/o 0006 Holme-on-Spalding Moor. Shot down by Oblt Martin Drewes (7th victory) 11./NJG1 at Grathem, 10 km W. Roermond at 0358. Those who died are buried at Roermond in Kapel in Roman Catholic Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
MÖNCHENGLADBACH/RHEYDT
660 aircraft – 297 Lancasters, 185 Halifaxes, 107 Stirlings, 57 Wellingtons, 14 Mosquitoes. 25 aircraft – 8 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters, 6 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons – lost, 38 percent of the force.

This was a ‘double’ attack, with a 2-minute pause after the first phase while the Pathfinders transferred the marking from Mönchengladbach to the neighbouring town of Rheydt. It was the first serious attack on both towns. The visibility was good and the Oboe-assisted marking of both targets was described in Bomber Command’s records as ‘a model’ of good Pathfinder marking. The bombing was very concentrated with little creepback. Approximately half of the built-up area in each town was destroyed.

Only short reports are available from Germany. Mönchengladbach recorded 1,059 buildings destroyed – 171 industrial, 19 military and 869 domestic, with 117 people killed. The town’s telegraph office is the only building mentioned by name. The number of buildings destroyed in Rheydt is given as 1,280 with damage to the main railway station and many rail facilities being stressed, and with 253 people being killed. A further 2,152 people were injured and 12 were missing but these last figures are combined ones for the two towns.

ST-OMER
This was the first of a series of small raids in which O.T.U. crews bombed ammunition dumps located in various forests of Northern France. A handful of Pathfinder aircraft marked each target and one of the purposes of the raids was to accustom O.T.U. crews to bombing on to markers before being posted to front-line squadrons.

This raid was carried out by 33 O.T.U. Wellingtons, with the Pathfinders providing 6 Oboe Mosquitoes and 6 Halifaxes. The target was a dump in the Forêt d’Eperlecques, just north of St-Omer. The bombing was successful and a large explosion was seen. 2 Wellingtons were lost.

Minor Operations: 12 Mosquitoes to Duisburg, 9 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians. 1 Mosquito lost.

Route as planned:

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Route as flown by 6 Group:

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2nd TAF
Whilst engaged in an afternoon reconnaissance sortie a 16 Squadron Mustang I was "bounced' by six Fw 190s and was shot down by Oblt Herbert Huppertz of 8./JG 2 at 1612 (German time), the aircraft coming down in the sea some 40 miles north of the Brittany coast. A search was initiated by the unit, which operated from Exeter, and eventually their efforts were rewarded, when the pilot, Flt Lt G. Holloway, was spotted. However bad weather delayed a rescue considerably, and it was not until three days later that a Walrus was able to set out to pick him up, backed up by a Warwick carrying an airborne lifeboat, the pair of rescue aircraft being escorted by Typhoons of 266 Squadron which was also based at Exeter. Holloway was successfully picked up by the crew of the Walrus.

USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-three 323d Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack an ammunition dump at Eperlecques with nearly 49 tons of bombs about 1900 hours. Fourteen B-26s are damaged and three crewmen are wounded.

ITALY: NASAF B-26s, escorted by 44 1st Fighter Group P-38s, attack marshalling yards at Aversa at about noon. As the formation crosses the Italian coast on the way to the target, it is attacked by an estimated 75 Axis fighters, which are immediately engaged by the outnumbered P-38s. Despite the loss of 13 P-38s and their pilots, no GAF fighter gets through to the bombers. Eight GAF fighters and an Mc.202 are downed by the P-38s in this determined defensive battle, and the B-26s cause extreme damage to the target during an unmolested bombing run that results in no bomber losses.

NASAF B-26s attack Viterbo Airdrome; NASAF B-25s attack marshalling yards at Civitavecchia; NATAF A-20s and B-25s attack marshalling yards at Marina di Catanzaro and Paola, and gun emplacements and troop bivouacs near Reggio di Calabria; and NATAF A-36s attack Pellaro and marshalling yards at Lamezia and Sapri.

SARDINIA: NAAF P-40s strafe the radar station at Pula.

RAF
Base Changes
43 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Catania
243 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Catania
320 Sqn (Mitchell II) moves to Lasham
617 Sqn (Lancaster) moves to Coningsby

First and Last Operational Missions
238 Sqn (Gamil) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIC
544 Sqn (Benson) flies its last OM in the Spitfire PRV
488 Sqn (Drem) flies its first OM in the Mosquito NFXII

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Thu Aug 31, 2023 1:36 am

12 Sqn (Wickenby – Lancaster III) 31.8.43
Weather fine at first, soon becoming cloudy, visibility good in morning, moderate in afternoon, hazy. OPERATIONS ordered again against BEPLIN, 20 aircraft taking off. Captains were SGT YELL: F/O WRIGHT: F/O SNELL: P/O BROWN: P/O MIZON: SGT TRIKE: SGT NORTON: SGT CROMARTY: F/L MCLAUGHLIN: F/L WEEKS: F/L WOOD: W/O SITTH: W/O HOPLAND: F/S HOPTON: F/O LLOYD: W/O GREEN: F/S GARDINER: F/S JOY: SGT RABBETT: & SGT MACHIN.

2 aircraft failed to return from this operation and the crews were reported missing; Captains were W/O GREEN and SGT MACHIN.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III DV185 PH-D. Crew: Sgt H Machin KIA, Sgt P Holloway KIA, Sgt F Lennard KIA, Sgt EV Potter RNZAF KIA, Sgt GA Purcell KIA, Sgt EF Harris KIA, Sgt JG Jones KIA. Crashed near Zerbst. On 2 Sepember, all were buried at Russenfriedhoff some 2 km W. of Zerbst, but their bodies now lie in Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Their average age was 23.

BOMBER COMMAND
BERLIN
622 aircraft – 331 Lancasters, 176 Halifaxes, 106 Stirlings, 9 Mosquitoes. 47 aircraft – 20 Halifaxes, 17 Stirlings, 10 Lancasters – lost, 7.6 percent of the force. The Stirling casualties were 16.0 percent! Approximately two thirds of the bombers lost were shot down by German fighters operating over or near Berlin. The use of ‘fighter flares’, dropped by German aircraft to ‘mark’ the bomber routes into and away from the target, was noted for the first time in Bomber Command records.

This raid was not successful. There was some cloud in the target area; this, together with difficulties with H2S equipment and probably the ferocity of the German defences, all combined to cause the Pathfinder markers to be dropped well south of the centre of the target area and the Main Force bombing to be even further away. The main bombing area eventually extended 30 miles back along the bombers’ approach route. 85 dwelling-houses were destroyed in Berlin but the only industrial buildings hit were classed as damaged – 4 severely and 3 lightly. The only important public buildings hit were the headquarters of the Berlin inland canal and harbour system, the state police hospital and some market halls. 66 civilians and 2 soldiers were killed, 109 people were injured and 2,784 bombed out.

After this raid, Gauleiter Goebbels ordered the evacuation from Berlin of all children and all adults not engaged in war work to country areas or to towns in Eastern Germany where air raids were not expected.

Minor Operations: 30 O.T.U. Wellingtons with 6 Mosquitoes and 5 Halifaxes of the Pathfinders bombed an ammunition dump in the Forêt de Hesdin and 6 Mosquitoes were sent to Brauweiler. No aircraft lost.

Route as planned:

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Route as flown by 6 Group

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2nd TAF
When operations on this date concluded, 83 Group reported that units allocated to it had by now flown 5,445 sorties, dropped 199 tons of bombs and claimed 24 enemy aircraft destroyed, three probables and 23 damaged for the loss of 35 pilots.

USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-three 322d Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack the Mazingarbe power plant at 0718 hours with 48 tons of bombs. One B-26 is damaged. At 0721 hours, 36 387th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack Lille/Vendeville Airdrome with nearly 54 tons of bombs. One B-26 is downed, 11 are damaged, and crew losses are six missing and two wounded. Solid cloud cover over the area prevents 72 322d and 386th Medium Bombardment group B-26s from attacking their target.

One hundred seventy 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s are unable to locate their briefed target, Romilly Airdrome, through thick clouds, so between 1807 and 1824 hours, 105 of these heavy bombers drop 1,240 500-pound bombs (310 tons) on Amiens/Glisy Airdrome. Losses are one B-17 missing and two lost in a collision over the English Channel on the way to the target, one lost in a crash-landing in the U.K., and 35 damaged by flak and GAF fighters. Crew losses are five killed, 33 missing, and eight wounded. It is worth noting that the switch in targets by a large proportion of the bombers is effected by orders directly transmitted via VHF radio by the mission commander, the 101st Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing’s Col William Gross. This is the first instance in which an Eighth Air Force mission commander is permitted to break radio silence to redirect a bombing force once it has left English airspace. Such on-the-spot direction will soon become the norm and will profoundly influence the efficiency of the Eighth Air Force heavy-bomber forces.

In contrast, however, 149 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s briefed for an attack on the Meulan aircraft factory are unable to locate any target through the cloud cover and thus return to their bases with bombs aboard after sustaining 19 bombers damaged and one crewman wounded.

While providing escort for the B-17s, two 353d Fighter Group P-47s and their pilots are lost following a collision near St.-Omer. In all, 160 P-47 escort sorties are provided for the B-17s by the VIII Fighter Command, but only two GAF fighters are damaged.

ITALY: IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Pescara; approximately 150 NASAF B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Pisa; NATAF A-20s and B-25s mount a morning attack against a road and rail junction at Catanzaro, and afternoon attacks on Cosenza; and NAAF fighter-bombers attack the seaplane base and rail line at Sapri.

During the night of August 31–September 1, NATAF A-20s attack troop bivouacs near Reggio di Calabria.

RAF
Base Changes
4 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Cassibile

First and Last Operational Missions
21 Sqn (Oulton) flies its last OM in the Ventura I/II
145 Sqn (Lentini West) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC
169 Sqn (Middle Wallop) flies its last OM in the Mustang I
274 Sqn (Derna) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIB
466 Sqn RAAF (Leconfield) flies its last OM in the Wellington X

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Fri Sep 01, 2023 1:27 am

91 Sqn (Westhampnett – Spitfire XII) 1.9.43
We learnt unexpectedly that the Spitfire XII Wing had to go to Lympne to undertake shipping patrol duties from 1st to 4th September inclusive. Accordingly, 13 aircraft of 91 Squadron left for Lymphe at 05.05 hours. There were, S/L Kynaston, Sgt Exelby, F/O 0'Shaughnessy, W/O Bishop, (Red Section) F/Lt Matthew, F/O Bond F/O Round, F/O Huntley (Blue Section) F/O Stenborg, F/Sgt Blumer, F/Lt Busby, F/Sgt Mulcahy (Yellow Section) with F/O Andrieux as 13th man. All landed at Lympne by 05.45 hours.

From this time continuous cover was kept of naval vessels operating in the Straits of Dover. It was noticed that these vessels were being shelled from the French coast from time to time, but no incident developed until at about 10.45, W/O Bishop, was flying No. 4 of his section, had engine trouble, and had to 'ditch'. He succeeded in getting out when about 30 feet down - the aircraft sank at once and he jettisoned his hood before hitting the sea. He was picked up by the Royal Navy very quickly and taken to Dover Emergency Hospital, suffering from shock and bruises, but not seriously hurt in any way.

A state of readiness was maintained during the afternoon and evening, and the wing left Lymphe at 19.05 hours, landing at Westhampnett by 19.50 hours.

USAAF
ALGERIA: NAAF formally relinquishes administrative control of all subordinate units to appropriate subordinate headquarters: NAAF headquarters to Twelfth Air Force headquarters; NASAF aircraft to XII Bomber Command; NACAF aircraft to XII Fighter Command; and so forth. However, the Twelfth Air Force still remains operationally subordinate to NAAF, and LtGen Carl Spaatz remains commanding general of both organizations. Also, NATAF continues to function as an operational command overseeing the XII Air Support Command (31st and 33d Fighter groups, in Spitfires and P-40s respectively; 27th and 86th Fighter-Bomber groups, in A-36s; and 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), NATBF (47th Light Bombardment Group, in A-20s), and the RAF’s Western Desert Air Force.

ITALY: A-20s and B-25s under NATAF control attack several towns, a bridge, a lighthouse, and a radar station in southern Italy; and Twelfth Air Force P-40s attack a zinc plant and strafe a factory.

RAF
Base Changes
7 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VC) moves to El Gamil
80 Sqn (Spitfire VC) moves to Derna

First and Last Operational Missions
74 Sqn (Idku) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
253 Sqn (La Sabala I) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
544 Sqn (Benson) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRIV

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sat Sep 02, 2023 1:42 am

199 Sqn (Lakenheath – Stirling III) 2.9.43
Three aircraft were detailed for minelaying, two of which completed their mission and the other aircraft EE 903 (P/O KC Gilbert and crew) failed to return.

ADDENDUM – Stirling III EE903 EX-G. Crew: P/O RC Gilbert RCAF KIA, Sgt WC Mitchell KIA, F/O MS Gordon RCAF KIA, Sgt CC Maw RCAF KIA, Sgt FW Watts KIA, Sgt G Ezard KIA, Sgt AT Newton KIA. T/o 1955 Lakenheath for mine laying duties off La Rochelle. Crashed in the sea north of Rochefort; three are buried in French cemeteries, the rest are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
30 O.T.U. Wellingtons with 6 Mosquitoes and 5 Lancasters of the Pathfinders successfully bombed an ammunition dump in the Forêt de Mormal, 8 Mosquitoes were sent to Cologne and Duisburg, 89 aircraft were minelaying in the Frisians, near Texel and off Brittany and Biscay ports. 1 Stirling minelayer lost.

2nd TAF
In one of the last operations to be flown by the ill-fated Venturas, now flying only with 21 Squadron, Flt Sgt Elam's aircraft was last seen over Gravelines during 'Ramrod S.27, and was shot down by Uffz Gerd Wiegand of 8./JG 26 at 1430.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The 44th and 392d Heavy Bombardment groups are assigned to the 2d Heavy Bombardment Wing’s 202d Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing.

FRANCE: Three hundred nineteen 1st and 4th Heavy Bombardment wing B-17s dispatched against GAF airdromes in France are recalled as they approach the French coast due to heavy cloud cover. Only 34 4th Wing B-17s attack targets of opportunity—Mardyck and Denain/Prouvy airdromes—with a total of 101 tons of bombs at about 1905 hours. Three of 182 escort P-47s are lost while conducting ad hoc fighter sweeps.

Of 216 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s dispatched, 104 are able to find holes in the cloud cover and drop nearly 150 tons of bombs on several GAF airfields and fuel dumps.

ITALY: Intelligence estimates indicate that all Axis airfields in the BAYTOWN invasion area except Foggia have been neutralized by intense Allied preinvasion bombing efforts, which numbers approximately 3,000 air-combat sorties since August 18. Now the great weight of the air attacks shifts to preinvasion targets in the AVALANCHE area, around Salerno.

Seventy-five XII Bomber Command B-26s, escorted by 82d Fighter Group P-38s, attack a marshalling yard at Cancello Arnone, near Naples, at about 1330 hours through relentless Axis fighter attacks that begin during the approach to the target and continue until the withdrawing bombers are 100 miles out to sea. Twenty-three Axis fighters are downed by 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots against no USAAF losses.

In an effort to at least temporarily interdict military traffic from Germany, a small number of XII Bomber Command B-17s attack rail lines in Brenner Pass, the shortest route from Germany (via Austria) to Italy. Other XII Bomber Command B-17s and B-25s attack marshalling yards at Bologna, Bolzano, and Trento.

In the south, closer to the invasion area, tactical aircraft, including RAF units flying under Twelfth Air Force control, attack gun emplacements, road and rail targets, an ammunition dump, and barge traffic.

RAF
Base Changes
43 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Cassala
72 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Cassala
93 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Cassala
111 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Cassala
225 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Milazzo
243 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Cassala

First and Last Operational Missions
16 Sqn (Hartfordbridge) flies its last OM in the Mustang I
64 Sqn (Gravesend) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
74 Sqn (Idku) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIB
172 Sqn (Chivenor) flies its first OM in the Wellington XIV

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:38 am

460 Sqn RAAF (Binbrook – Lancaster III) 3.9.43
Weather: Fine apart from local mist or fog early-fair later. Local flying during the day. Later twenty-four aircraft were detailed for an attack on BERLIN and from the reports of the crews on their return it certainly wasn’t a wasted effort. From this trip three aircraft failed to return.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III W4988 AR-Q. Crew: F/O FH Randall RAAF INT, Sgt AH Jones INT, F/S NJ Conway RAAF KIA, P/O LG Greenaway RAAF POW, Sgt AJ O’Brien RAAF POW, Sgt H Bell INT, F/F HK Ward RCAF POW. T/O 1957 Binbrook. Badly damaged by the twin combination of flak and night-fighters. Partially abandoned before crashing 0025 at Laröd, 5 km NNW of Helsingborg, Sweden. Two were interned after being rescued by a Swedish marine vessel, but Sgt Jones eventually reached Sweden after being aided by the Danish resistance. F/S Conway has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Lancaster III EE132 AR-? Crew: F/S RB McPhan RAAF KIA, Sgt TOS McCulloch KIA, Sgt MJ Simpson KIA, Sgt JA Spence RAAF KIA, Sgt RL Freeman KIA, Sgt JB Hilton POW, Sgt AA Stobbart RAAF POW. T/0 1940 Binbrook. Crashed 2340 near Benschop, 14 km SW from the centre of Utrecht. Those who died lie in Amersfoort General Cemetery.

Lancaster III EE138 AR-? Crew: S/L CR Kelaher RAAF KIA, Sgt HF Jowett KIA, F/O FM Forrester RAAF KIA, W/O EG Carthew RAAF KIA, W/O CA Walsh RAAF KIA, Sgt JC Combes KIA, Sgt EAC Thirkettle KIA, Sgt A Rolfe KIA.

BOMBER COMMAND
BERLIN
316 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes; because of the high casualty rates among Halifaxes and Stirlings in recent Berlin raids the heavy force was composed only of Lancasters. 22 Lancasters were lost, nearly 7.0 percent of the Lancaster force. The Mosquitoes were used to drop ‘spoof’ flares well away from the bombers’ route to attract German night fighters.

This raid approached Berlin from the north-east but the marking and bombing were, once again, mostly short of the target. That part of the bombing which did reach Berlin’s built-up area fell in residential parts of Charlottenburg and Moabit and in the industrial area called Siemensstadt. Several factories were hit and suffered serious loss of production and among ‘utilities’ put out of action were major water and electricity works and one of Berlin’s largest breweries. 422 people were listed as killed – 225 civilians, 24 servicemen, 18 men and 2 women of the air-raid services, 123 foreign workers – 92 women and 31 men. 170 further civilians were ‘missing’. The Berlin records also mention the deaths of another soldier and 7 ‘criminal’ assistants when the 2 delayed-action bombs on which they were working exploded; these ‘criminals’ could earn remission of their sentences by volunteering for this work on un-exploded and delayed-action bombs.

Minor Operations: 32 O.T.U. Wellingtons, 6 Mosquitoes and 6 Halifaxes to an ammunition dump in the Forêt de Raismes, near Valenciennes; 44 Stirlings and 12 Halifaxes minelaying off Denmark, in the Frisians and off the Biscay coast; 4 Mosquitoes to Düsseldorf and 7 O.T.U. Whitleys on leaflet raids. 1 Wellington, 1 Stirling and 1 Whitley were lost.

Route as planned:

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Map

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USAAF
FRANCE: Of 233 1st and 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s dispatched, 216 drop a total of 587 tons of bombs on five GAF airfields in northwestern France between 0843 and 0955 hours. Also, 37 of 65 4th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s dispatched attack the Caudron-Renault aircraft factory and an airdrome, both in Paris, with a total of 111 tons of bombs between 0845 and 0925 hours.

While escorting the heavy bombers, and at a cost of one P-47 and its pilot lost, 56th Fighter Group P-47 pilots down four FW-190s near Paris between 0840 and 0900 hours.

Ninety-eight of 141 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s dispatched attack three GAF airfields in northwestern France with a total of 146 tons of bombs between 0828 and 1007 hours.

ITALY: The British Eighth Army opens Operation BAYTOWN—and the Allied liberation of the European continent—with landings on the Italian mainland, in Calabria, just across the 3-mile-wide Straits of Messina.

NATAF A-20s, A-36s, and fighters, with RAF light bombers, attack gun emplacements throughout the toe of Italy, Camigliatello and Crotone airdromes, rail yards, troop concentrations, bridges, and road junctions. Six IX Bomber Command B-24s are downed by Axis fighters while attacking a marshalling yard at Sulmona.

A 57th Fighter Group P-40 pilot downs a Bf-109 over Catanzaro at 0800 hours.

SARDINIA: Twelfth Air Force P-40s attack radar installations at Capo Carbonara and Pula.

SICILY: Representatives of the Italian government of Marshal Pietro Badoglio sign an armistice with the Allies, which will become effective and made public on September 8.

TUNISIA: 81st Fighter Group P-38 pilots down an FW-190 and probably down another about 50 miles off Bizerte at 0750 hours.

RAF
Base Changes
29 Sqn (Mosquito NFXII) moves to Ford
60 Sqn SAAF R (Mosquito IV/VI/IX) moves to Ariana
86 Sqn (Liberator IIIA/IV) moves to Ballykelly
96 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Drem
272 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Borizzo
488 Sqn RNZAF (Mosquito NFXII) moves to Bradwell Bay

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Mon Sep 04, 2023 1:33 am

403 Sqn RCAF (Headcorn – Spitfire IX) 4.9.43
Weather: scattered cloud and sunny.
Ramrod S.29: W/Cdr. J.E.Johnson lead our wing as Fighter Sweep on this ramrod. The wing crossed the French coast at Le Treport and, from here swept Poix, Albert, Amieans and Arras areas. Enemy a/c were reported by control but not seen. The wing crossed over Somme Estuary and went down on the deck to look for 2 pilots reported in the water but did not see anyone. A lone Spitfire with no markings was seen in the Amiens area and a red very light was seen fired from this aircraft, also one unidentified aircraft was seen to go down in flames in the Amiens area. The weather over France was clear with a ground haze. The wing was airborne by 0845 hrs and landed by 1015 hrs.

RAMROD S.31: The wing lead by W/Cdr. J.E.Johnson was high cover to 36 Marauders on this operation. The rendezvous was carried out according to plan. Nine F.W.190s were seen in the target areas, flying towards the bombers. Four pilots followed W/C Johnson down to engage these enemy a/c, he saw someone shoot down one of these just north of Roubaix. W/C Johnson himself fired at one of these which is claimed as destroyed. Upon interrogation later it was proven that S/L Grant had been the pilot who destroyed the other F.W.190. S/L Grant however did not rejoin the Squadron after the engagement and is reported as missing. The bombs were seen to burst on the target area where many fires and explosions were seen a few minutes after the attack.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire IX MA838. Pilot: S/L FE Grant KIA. Buried at Wevelgem Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
8 Mosquitoes to Cologne and Duisburg, 25 Wellingtons and 13 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians, in the River Gironde and off Lorient and St-Nazaire. No aircraft lost.

2nd TAF
The day proved to be another very busy one for Fighter Command, Spitfire squadrons making a total of 20 claims by the time darkness fell, for the loss of only three aircraft. Tactical Air Force units were involved in two early evening ‘Ramrods. While escorting B-26s to Lille on Ramrod S31; 127Airfields pilots spotted a group of Fw 190s approaching the bombers and dived to attack at about 1755. It appears that Wg Cdr Johnson shot down Ofw WalterGrunlinger of the Geschwaderstab of JG 26, while Sqn Ldr Grant, commanding office of 403 Squadron, shot down Uffz Horst-GuentherSchoehl of JG 26, who baled out in seriously wounded condition. Grant was then also shot down, his Spitfire crashing near Roubaix, though no claim appears to have been made by the Luftwaffe.

Half an hour later 122 and 602 Squadrons were involved in escorting Mitchells to Boulogne harbour as Ramrod S.32; and here Wt Off Sorge of the latter unit claimed an Fw 190 shot down in the Nieuport /Dunkirk area at 1830, while FlgOff Innes of 122 Squadron claimed s second damaged 20 minutes later over the Authie Estuary. Eight Spitfires were claimed shot down by JG26 pilots during the day, ninth being claimed by III/JG1, although the latter unit lost at least five BF 109s.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Thirty-three 387th Medium Bombardment Group B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Courtrai at 1756 hours.

FRANCE: Ninety 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s attack marshalling yards at Hazebrouck, Lille, and St- Pol-sur-Mer between 1756 and 1833 hours.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-17s dispatched to attack airdromes in southern Italy are forced to abort in the face of bad weather; Twelfth Air Force P-38s dispatched to attack Grazzanise Airdrome are unable to find their target, but they attack targets of opportunity on the return flight to their bases; and USAAF fighter-bombers and RAF light bombers attached to NATAF attack motor vehicles, roads, and rail junctions all across the toe of Italy, and gun emplacements around Reggio di Calabria.

A 1st Fighter Group P-38 pilot downs an Fi-156 observation plane near Cancello Arnone at 1800 hours.

SICILY: The 57th Medium Bombardment Wing (formerly the 8th Fighter Wing) is reassigned from the Ninth Air Force to the Twelfth Air Force, and it begins overseeing operations of the 12th, 321st, and 340th Medium Bombardment groups, all in B-25s.

The Twelfth Air Force’s 416th Night-Fighter Squadron, in Beaufighters, mounts its first operational sorties of the war.

RAF
Base Changes
13 Sqn (Blenheim V) moves to Protville II
72 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Falcone
603 Sqn (Beaufighter IC/VIC/XIC) moves to Borizzo
608 Sqn (Hudson IIIA/V/VI) moves to Borizzo

First and Last Operational Missions
123 Sqn (Bu Amud) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC
254 Sqn (North Coates) flies its first OM in the Beaufighter TFX
540 Sqn (Leuchars) flies its last OM in the Mosquito PRIV

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:31 am

405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Halifax II/Lancaster III) 5.9.43
Weather: Small amounts of cloud at first, increasing around dawn and continuing cloudy until dusk. Slight rain for a short period during the morning and slight drizzle during the afternoon. Visibility moderate to good. Winds s'ly gusty, veering SW and decreasing.

Training: 7:54 hours flying training was carried out during the day. Flight Engineers were lectured on A.S.I. constant speed.

OPERATIONS: BOMBING ATTACK ON “MANHEIM” - 14 AIRCRAFT DETAILED (ONE MISSING)
Operational Flying Time 77:08 Hours Night.
Twelve aircraft reached and bombed primary in good visibility with some cloud, from an average height of 20,000 feet. Red and Green TI were well concentrated with burning incendiaries and all fires well concentrated on them. The TI appeared to be East of river but bombing had spread across to West bank. Built up area was clearly seen on both banks. Three bomb bursts of 4,000 lb. bombs were seen ¼ to ½ mile Southwest of the Green TI and fires covered a large area with black smoke. One aircraft suffered slight flak damage from heavy flak. One aircraft abandoned mission immediately after take off when port outer engine began streaming smoke and on climbing, petrol leak was noticed on starboard outer. One of our aircraft is missing.

ADDENDUM – Halifax II HR810 LQ-X. Crew: Sgt AC Burton KIA, Sgt C Hewitson POW, Sgt R Thomson POW, Sgt LJM Broderick RCAF KIA, Sgt JH Briggs POW, Sgt GE Agate KIA, Sgt JE Vidler POW. T/o 1925 Gransden Lodge. Shot down by flak and crashed at Nussloch, 9 km SSE of Heidelberg. Those who died were buried at Nussloch, since then their remains have been brought to Durnbach War Cemetery. Sgt Vidler was repatriated in February 1945.

BOMBER COMMAND
MANNHEIM/LUDWIGSHAFEN
605 aircraft – 299 Lancasters, 195 Halifaxes, 111 Stirlings. 34 aircraft – 13 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters, 8 Stirlings – lost, 5.6 percent of the force.

The target area for this double attack was clear of cloud and the Pathfinder marking plan worked perfectly. Ground-markers were placed on the eastern side of Mannheim so that the bombing of the Main Force – approaching from the west – could move back across Mannheim and then into Ludwigshafen on the western bank of the Rhine. The creepback did not become excessive and severe destruction was caused in both targets.

Mannheim’s normally detailed air-raid report does not give any specific details of property damage or casualties. It is probable that the raid was so severe that the normal report gathering and recording process broke down. The Mannheim records speak only of ‘a catastrophe’ and give general comments on the activities of the air raid services and the behaviour of the population which are both described as ‘vorbildlich’ (exemplary).

More detail is available from Ludwigshafen where the central and southern parts of the town were devastated. The fire department recorded 1,993 separate fires including 3 classed as ‘fire areas’ and 986 as large fires; 139 of the fires were in industrial premises. 1,080 houses, 6 military and 4 industrial buildings were destroyed and 8 more industrial buildings were seriously damaged, including the I.G. Farben works. 127 people were killed and 568 were injured; 10 of the dead were Flak troops. A further 1,605 people are described as suffering from eye injuries. The relatively small number of deaths may be an indication that many of the German cities were evacuating parts of their population after the recent firestorm disaster at Hamburg and other heavy raids.

Minor Operations: 4 Mosquitoes to Düsseldorf, 25 aircraft minelaying in the German Bight, near Texel and off Brest and Lorient. No aircraft lost.

Route as planned

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Route as flown by 6 Group

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USAAF
BELGIUM: Sixty-three 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Ghent at about 0830 hours.

ITALY: Approximately 130 XII Bomber Command B-17s attack Civitavecchia and Viterbo Airdrome, and more than 200 XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack landing grounds around Grazzanise.

14th and 82d Fighter group P-38 pilots down three Axis fighters over the Grazzanise area at about 1300 hours.

NATAF operations are impeded by bad weather, and only a few sorties are successfully mounted against tactical targets in and around the BAYTOWN battle area.

LIBYA: Col John C. Kilborn assumes command of the IX Bomber Command from MajGen Uzal G. Ent.

MEDITERRANEAN: As the British Eighth Army expands its holdings on the Italian mainland, the American AVALANCHE assault forces leave North African ports on their way to the Gulf of Salerno.

SARDINIA: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers and fighters attack Pabillonis and the radar station at Pula.

RAF
Base Changes
305 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Swanton Morley

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:31 am

427 Sqn RCAF (Leeming – Halifax V) 6.9.43
Wing Commander RS Tumbull arrived and took over command of the Squadron. Ten aircraft were detailed for operations Target MUNICH. All the aircraft took off successfully. Two aircraft returned early to base due to technical trouble. Two other aircraft returned early to bases in the south also due to technical trouble. The other four aircraft landed at Manston- Two aircraft are missing from this operation. P/0 Biggs DPM and Flying Officer Pery-Knox-Gore. The loss of these two Captains will be a serious blow to the Squadron. Biggs being an original member of the Squadron and Pery-Knox-Gore showing enough stuff in the short time he was with us to convince all that he was ace material.

ADDENDUM – Halifax V DK255 ZL-? Crew: F/O EA Pery-Knox-Gore KIA, Sgt JJ Thomas KIA, P/O HS Thew KIA, Sgt PC Jones KIA, Sgt EE Strong KIA, Sgt S Lloyd KIA, Sgt AVD Humphries RCAF KIA. T/o 1931 Leeming. Crashed near Epeautrolles, 20 km SW Chartres, France. Sgt Strong lies in Epeautrolles Churchyard; the others are buried in St-Desir War Cemetery.

Halifax V LK628 ZL-? Crew: P/O W Biggs DFM KIA, Sgt RE Dresser RCAF KIA, P/O J Elliot DFM POW, F/S J Reid KIA, F/S A Richards POW, F/S LE Moyler DFM KIA, F/S HG McLean POW, Sgt HA Jackson RCAF KIA. T/o 1924 Leeming. Shot down by Oblt Jakob Bender (6th victory) 7./NJG101 and crashed near Starnberg at 0030, on the northern edge of the Starnberg See. Those who died rest in the Durnbach War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
MUNICH
257 Lancasters and 147 Halifaxes. 16 aircraft – 13 Halifaxes, 3 Lancasters – lost, 4.0 percent of the force.
The Pathfinders found that Munich was mostly covered by cloud and neither their ground-markers nor their sky-markers were very effective. Most of the Main Force crews could do no more than bomb on a timed run from the Ammersee, a lake situated 21 miles south-west of the target. The bombing was mostly scattered over the southern and western parts of the city.

No report is available from Munich.

Route as planned:

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Route as flown by 6 Group

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2nd TAF
On a midday 'Ramrod' designed to escort an Eighth Air Force bomber formation home, Sqn Ldr R.W.McNair, commander of 421 Squadron, claimed an Fw 190 south-east of Beaumont- le-Roger. In the evening B-26s raided Rouen marshalling yards, while 17 Mitchells of 98 and 180 Squadrons and 18 Venturas of 21 Squadron attacked Boulogne. The Canadians of 127 Airfield were present as part of the escort on this occasion, pilots of 403 Squadron claiming two Fw 190s over Amiens. JG 2 lost a Focke-Wulf, the pilot baling out, and III./JG 26 lost two more; 11./JG 2 also lost a Bf 109 during the day. Other Spitfire pilots of 11 Group claimed seven more Focke-Wulfs and a Bf 109, while a pilot of the Eighth Air Force's 4th Fighter Group added another Fw 190; three Spitfires were lost, claimed by Uffz Klaus Diekert, Fw Siegfried Lemke and Fw Ernst Hemming between 1900-1915. A Mitchell of 98 Squadron and a Ventura were hit by Flak, both crash-landing on return to England.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Thirty-two B-26s of the 3d Medium Bombardment Wing’s 386th Medium Bombardment Group attack a marshalling yard at Ghent at 0739 hours.
FRANCE: 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s attack marshalling yards at Rouen at 0738 hours, and at Amiens and Serqueux at about 1800 hours.
GERMANY: Provisionally reorganized into the new 1st, 2d, and 3d Bombardment divisions (B-17s, B-24s, and B-17s, respectively), VIII Bomber Command heavy bombers mount their largest bombing mission to date—338 1st and 3d Bombardment division B-17s dispatched against aircraft-industry targets in Stuttgart. However, only a very few of the B-17s are able to locate the assigned target due to foul weather conditions. In the end, after the bomber formations become hopelessly disorganized and separated, 262 B-17s release their bombs—a few over Stuttgart and the rest over a broad array of “targets of opportunity” between 0940 and 1230 hours. Losses amount to 45 B-17s, but less through enemy action than fuel depletion in many 1st Bombardment Division short-range B-17s. One B-17 crashes in a Swiss lake and four make forced landings on Swiss runways. Crew losses amount to two killed and 333 missing, but 118 crewmen from 12 fuel-starved B-17s that ditch in the North Sea are recovered by Air-Sea Rescue Service boats.

A 353d Fighter Group P-47 is lost while escorting the B-17s, but a 4th Fighter Group P-47 pilot downs an FW-190 near Chateau Thierry, France, at 1125 hours.

In their first U.K.-based mission since returning from North Africa, 60 2d Bombardment Division B-24s stage a diversion over the North Sea that attracts no attention.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-17s attack Capodichino Airdrome, the harbor at Gaeta, rail facilities at Minturno, and a marshalling yard at Villa Literno; bad weather turns back a force of XII Bomber Command B-17s dispatched against Pomigliano Airdrome; despite bad weather, a small number of NATAF aircraft are able to attack a few rail targets and targets of opportunity; and XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Capua and Grazzanise airdromes.

1st, 14th, and 81st Fighter group escort pilots down 11 Axis fighter during noon-hour actions over Capua and Grazzanise airdromes.

SARDINIA: Twelfth Air Force P-40s attack the landing ground at Pabillonis.

RAF
Base Changes
4 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Faro
43 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Falcone
81 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Milazzo East
93 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Falcone
111 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Falcone
152 Sqn (Spitfire VC) moves to Milazzo East,
242 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Milazzo East
243 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Falcone
342 Sqn (Boston III) moves to Hartfordbridge
611 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Southend

First and Last Operational Missions
80 Sqn (Derna) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
140 Sqn (Hartfordbridge) flies its last OM in the Spitfire PRIV

warshipbuilder · Post by **warshipbuilder** » Thu Sep 07, 2023 2:50 am

170 Sqn (Odiham – Mustang I) 7.9.43
OPERATIONS. P/O. D.W. Clarke, P/O. W.G. Huddart, /O. P.R. Cope and P/D. H.W. Munro, P/O. H.H. Fielding-Johnson and P/O. A.D. Fraser carried out an uneventful dam patrol of DUNGENESS.

OPERATIONS. P/O. M.G. Ridley-Martin and F/O. D.H. Leonard carried out a TAC/R. of SORRUS MONTREUIL HESDON ST. POL. Leader made a bad landfall, and the sortie was unsuccessful. Flew between BETHUNE and LENS.Observed twenty barges at LA BASSE.

OPERATIONS. FLt. A.R. Wall and F/O. P.R. Cope made a landfall at 5,000 feet, and dived to 0 feet following railway to BLANGY-AUMALE. Intense accurate flak with black bursts was encountered near MOLIENS. F/Lt. Wall's aircraft was hit and flame was seen all along cockpit. Aircraft was turning left at 200 feet. The turn continued until it struck the ground and blew up. No. 2 returned to base.

ADDENDUM – Mustang I FD496. Pilot: F/Lt AR Wall KIA.

2nd TAF
A 168 Squadron Mustang on a reconnaissance sortie was shot down over Essertaux by Lt Dietrich Kehl of 4./JG 26 at 1627, while another from 170 Squadron fell to Flak near Moliers. The pilot of the former, Flg Off R.M.Mackenzie, evaded capture, but Flt Lt A.R.Wall was killed.

USAAF
ALGERIA: A 350th Fighter Group P-38 pilot downs two Bf-109s at sea 10 miles northwest of Bougie at 1306 hours.

BELGIUM: 105 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Brussels/Evere Airdrome with 315 tons of bombs at about 0850 hours.

ENGLAND: The 422d Heavy Bombardment Squadron is formally detached from the 305th Heavy Bombardment Group to train in night-bombing techniques.

FRANCE: Thanks to a botched rendezvous, only 81 of 144 3d Medium Bombardment Wing B-26s dispatched attack marshalling yards at Lille and St.-Pol-sur-Mer between 0854 and 0858 hours.

Fifty-eight of 147 3d Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched overcome bad weather to attack V-weapons sites at Watten with 116 tons of bombs between 0820 and 0854 hours.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-17s attack two of the satellite fields in the Foggia Airdrome complex; XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack roads and bridges behind the BAYTOWN battle area; and NATAF A-20s and B-25s attack a gun battery and a roadblock near Catanzaro and Crotone Airdrome.

During the night of September 7–8, NATAF A-20s support a British Eighth Army landing at Pizzo.

NETHERLANDS: Only three of the 29 2d Bombardment Division B-24s dispatched are able to attack Bergen/Alkmaar Airdrome through bad weather, but 19 other B-24s attack an Axis convoy at sea off Texel Island. This is the first mission from England undertaken by the veteran 389th Heavy Bombardment Group.

While providing escort for 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, 56th Fighter Group P-47 pilots down two Bf-109s near Texel Island at 0900 hours.

SARDINIA: Twelfth Air Force P-40s attack the landing ground at Pabillonis and barges off Portoscuso.

RAF
Base Changes
154 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX) moves to Milazzo
266 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Gravesend
308 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Friston
350 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to West Malling

First and Last Operational Missions
140 Sqn (Hartfordbridge) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRXI
178 Sqn (Hose Raui) flies its last OM in the Halifax II

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