The 61 Sqdn left from Syerston at 1943-08-16 at 20:20. Loc or duty Milano

On Monday 16 August 1943, a member of the 61 Sqdn, Flight Sergeant E H Gunders, took off from Syerston in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on WW2 History Europe. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 20:20.

He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial ED722, code QR-B).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force):: VIII Bomber Command Mission 83: Luftwaffe facilities in France are targetted today. 1. 179 B-17's and 1 YB-40 are dispatched to Le Bourget air depot in the Paris area; 171 hit the target at 0929-0937 hours; they claim 29-3-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost and 46 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 4 WIA and 31 MIA; this mission is escorted all the way to the target by P-47's using drop tanks. 2. 66 B-17's are dispatched to Poix and Abbeville Airfields; all 66 hit the targets at 0911-0923 hours; 38 aircraft are damaged; no casualties.

VIII Air Support Command Missions 21, 22A and 22B: Airfields in France are targetted today; no casualties. 1. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Bernay St Martin Airfield; 31 hit the target at 1117 hours; 2 aircraft are damaged. 2. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Beaumont Le Roger Airfield; 29 hit the target at 1700 hours and 3 hit Conches Airfield at 1703 hours; 3 aircraft are damaged. 3. A diversion is flown by B-26's of the 323d Bombardment Group (Medium).

Campaign report of the RAF:

15/16 August 1943

199 Lancasters continued the offensive against Milan, claiming particularly concentrated bombing. 7 aircraft were lost, mostly to German fighters which were awaiting the bombers' return over France.

8 Mosquitos to Berlin, 63 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off Texel and off all the main Brittany and Biscay ports, 16 OTU sorties. 2 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling from the minelaying force were lost.

154 aircraft of 3 and No 8 Groups - 103 Stirlings, 37 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters to Turin in what was the . 4 aircraft - 2 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster, 1 Stirling - lost.

This raid concluded the Bomber Command attacks on Italian cities which had commenced in June 1940.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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