The 76 Sqdn left from Holme on Spalding Moor at 1944-11-29 at 2:44. Loc or duty Essen
He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type III, serial NA623, code MP-H Bar).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 729: 1,077 bombers and 946 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on viaduct rail targets and oil refineries in Germany; 1 bomber is lost:
1. 445 B-17s are sent to hit the oil refinery at Misburg (391); targets of opportunity are Osnabrcuk (36) and others (5); 6 B-17s are damaged.
Escorting are 419 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
2. 307 B-24s are sent to hit the Schildesche rail viaduct at Bielefeld (152) and the Altenbeken rail viaduct (144); 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 9 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA.
Escorting are 261 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
3. 312 B-17s are sent to hit the Hamm marshalling yard (294); 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 87 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA.
Escorting are 112 of 120 P-51s without loss.
4. 12 of 13 B-17s fly a screen mission and hit a target of opportunity.
Escorting are 26 of 32 P-47s without loss.
5. 31 of 34 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
Mission 730: 6 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
HQ 489th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 844th, 846th and 847th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) depart Halesworth, England for the US; this B-24 group will become a B-29s outfit that is destined for the Pacific.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 301 B-26s and A-20s hit defended areas, barracks, and military depots at Wittlich, Mariaweiler, Pier, Eisdorf, Limburg, Rastatt, and Landau; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division and Eighth AF, fly armed reconnaissance over W Germany, and support the 104th Infantry Division in a holding action against counterattacks at Inden and Lammersdorf, the 8th Infantry Division at Hurtgen, and the 7th Armored Division in the XIII Corps drive toward the Roer.
HQ 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) and teh 31st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron with F-5s moves from Robinson Airfield, St-Dizier to Doncourt Airfield, Conflans and Jarny, France respectfully.
Campaign report of the RAF:
28/29 November 1944
Essen: 316 aircraft - 270 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost. Bomber Command documents claim further damage to industrial areas, including the Krupps works. An interesting little item in the local fire brigade report congratulates the team working in the burning headquarters of the local Gestapo for saving valuable documents.
145 Lancasters of No 3 Group and 8 Lancasters of No 1 Group carried out a mainly G-H attack on Neuss. No aircraft lost.
75 Mosquitos to Nuremberg and 9 to Hallendorf, 35 RCM sorties, 3 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito lost from the Nuremberg raid.
Total effort for the night: 623 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.2 per cent) lost.
29 November 1944
Dortmund: 294 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters lost. Bad weather caused the marking and resultant bombing to be scattered but fresh damage was caused in Dortmund.
30 Mosquitos of No 8 Group attempted to bomb a tar and benzol plant in the Meiderich district of Duisburg, using the Oboe-leader method for the first time on a German target, but 2 of the 3 formations of Mosquitos failed to link up with their Oboe leaders and bombed on timed runs from the docks south of Duisburg. Most of the bombs were believed to have fallen beyond the target. No Mosquitos lost.
1 Hudson flew a Resistance operation.
29/30 November 1944
67 Mosquitos to Hannover and 4 to Bielefeld, 27 RCM sorties, 38 Mosquito patrols, 19 aircraft on Resistance operations. 6 Mosquitos of No 5 Group to lay mines in the River Weser were unable to carry out the operation because of 10/10ths cloud over the target area. No aircraft lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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