The story
ESSEN
79 Lancasters and 3 Mosquitoes encountered 10/10ths cloud and bombs were dropped blindly on estimated positions. 4 Lancasters lost.
MINELAYING
70 aircraft on a large operation in the Frisian Islands; 4 Wellingtons and 2 Halifaxes lost.
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23 Bostons and 18 Venturas attacked airfields in France while 12 Mitchells of 98 and 180 Squadrons carried out the first raid by this new type of aircraft on oil targets at Terneuzen near Ghent. 2 Venturas and 3 Mitchells were lost, including the aircraft of Wing Commander C. C. Hodder, commander of 180 Squadron.
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2 Mosquitoes attacked Cologne without loss. This was the first Oboe attack on Cologne, which reports 55 houses damaged, 5 people killed and 22 injured. These details of damage and casualties in a minor raid have been included because they show that a few aircraft using modern aids could sometimes cause as much damage as the forces of up to 100 bombers which had often been sent to Cologne in marginal weather conditions in 1941 and 1942.
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when Magdeburg was the main target.
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You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.