The 405 Sqdn left from Gransden Lodge at 1943-07-04 at an unknown time. Loc or duty Koln

On Sunday 04 July 1943, a member of the 405 Sqdn, Flight Lieutenant R B Smith, took off from Gransden Lodge 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 an unknown time .

He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type II, serial HR813, code LQ-H).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 71: 192 B-17's are dispatched against aircraft factores at Le Mans and Nanes, France; 166 make a very effective attack; we claim 52-14-22 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 7 with 1 damaged beyond repair and 53 others damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 9 WIA and 70 MIA. 83 other B-17's are dispatched against submarine yards at La Pallice, France; 71 hit the target between 1201 and 1204 local; we claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 and 1 is damaged; casualties are 10 MIA. Bombing is extremely accurate.

Campaign report of the RAF:

3/4 July 1943

653 aircraft - 293 Lancasters, 182 Halifaxes, 89 Wellingtons, 76 Stirlings, 13 Mosquitos returned to Cologne. The aiming point for this raid was that part of Cologne situated on the east bank of the Rhine. Much industry was located there. Pathfinder ground marking was accurately maintained by both the Mosquito Oboe aircraft and the backers-up, allowing the Main Force to carry out another heavy attack on Cologne. 30 aircraft - 9 Halifaxes, 8 Lancasters, 8 Wellingtons, 5 Stirlings - lost, 4.6 per cent of the force.

This night saw the first operations of a new German unit, Jagdgeschwader 300, equipped with single-engined fighters using the Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) technique. In this, a German pilot used any form of illumination available over a city being bombed - searchlights, target indicators, the glow of fires on the ground - to pick out a bomber for attack. Liaison with the local flak defences was supposed to ensure that the flak was limited to a certain height above which the Wild Boar fighter was free to operate. The new German unit claimed 12 bombers shot down over Cologne but had to share the 12 available aircraft found to have crashed with the local flak, who also claimed 12 successes.

4 Mosquitos to Duisburg and 4 to Hamburg, 14 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians. 2 Stirlings lost.

4/5July 1943

3 Mosquitos to Duisburg, 13 Stirlings minelaying off La Pallice and in the River Gironde, 4 OTU sorties. No aircraft lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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