The 627 Sqdn left from Woodhall Spa at 1944-05-08 at 1:09. Loc or duty Tours
He flew with a de Havilland Mosquito (type IV, serial DZ478, code AZ-R).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
General Dwight D Eisenhower sets D-Day for the Normandy invasion as 5 Jun; the date subsequently will be changed to 6 Jun.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 344: In the morning, 807 bombers and 729 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany in a PFF mission; the bombers claim 76-16-16 Luftwaffe fighters, the fighters claim 55-4-20; 36 bombers and 13 fighters are lost:
1. 500 B-17s are dispatched to bomb Berlin; 386 B-17s hit the primary, 42 bomb Brunswick, 17 bomb Brandenburg and 8 bomb Magderburg; 25 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 169 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 261 MIA.
2. 307 B-24s are dispatched to Brunswick; 288 hit the primary and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 11 B-24s are lost, 7 are damaged beyond repair and 28 damaged; 7 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 112 MIA.
Escort is provided by 152 P-38s, 295 P-47s and 282 P-51s; the P-38s claim 6-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft, the P-47s claim 9-1-5 and the P-51s claim 40-3-12; 4 P-38s, 4 P-47s and 5 P-51s are lost; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair; 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 13 MIA.
Mission 345: In the afternoon, 164 bombers and 97 fighters are dispatched against targets in France and Belgium; 5 bombers are lost:
1. 92 of 101 B-17s bomb V-weapon sites at Glacerie and Sottevast, France; 5 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 29 damaged; 28 airmen are MIA.
2. 57 of 63 B-24s hit Brussels/Schaerbeck marshalling yard, Belgium; 29 B-24s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 19 MIA.
Escort is provided by 97 P-47s without loss.
Mission 346: 3 of 4 B-17s drop 1.6 million leaflets on 10 towns in France without loss.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): About 450 B-26s and A-20s bomb marshalling yards, coastal defenses, bridges, airfields and V-weapons sites in France and Belgium.
Campaign report of the RAF:
Day Operations, 1-21 May 1944
On 6 days during this period, Bomber Command Oboe Mosquitos flew as 'formation leaders' in Second Tactical Air Force attacks on small targets in Northern France. There were no losses from the 12 Bomber Command sorties flown.
7/8 May 1944
93 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos of 3 and 8 Groups to bomb the airfield at Nantes. 1 Lancaster lost. Accurate bombing hit runways and hangars.
56 Halifaxes of No 6 Group and 8 Pathfinder Mosquitos attempted to bomb a coastal gun position at St Valery near Dieppe but just missed the target. No aircraft lost.
58 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of No 5 Group attacked an ammunition dump at Salbris. The bombing was accurate and much damage was caused but 7 Lancasters were lost.
53 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No 5 Group bombed the airfield at Tours and caused much damage. 1 Lancaster and 1 Mosquito lost.
55 Lancasters of No 1 Group bombed the airfield and an ammunition dump at Rennes. The force was not able to locate and mark the target adequately and most of the bombs fell on a nearby village. No aircraft lost.
28 Mosquitos to Leverkusen and 4 to Châteaudun, 5 RCM sorties, 12 Intruder patrols, 42 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and in the River Gironde, 39 aircraft on Resistance operations. 2 Halifaxes lost dropping supplies to the Resistance.
Total effort for the night: 471 sorties, 12 aircraft (2.5 per cent) lost.
8/9 May 1944
Haine St Pierre: 123 aircraft - 62 Halifaxes, 53 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitos - of 6 and 8 Groups. 6 Halifaxes and 3 Lancasters lost. Severe damage was caused to half of the railway yards and to locomotive sheds.
58 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos of No 5 Group attacked the airfield and seaplane base at Lanveoc Poulmic near Brest with great accuracy. 1 Lancaster lost.
31 Halifaxes of No 4 Group and 8 Pathfinder Mosquitos scored direct hits on a coastal gun position at Morsalines on the Cherbourg peninsular. 1 Halifax lost.
32 Halifaxes of No 4 Group and 7 Pathfinder Mosquitos attacked a gun position at Berneval but only 1 aircraft hit the target. Most of the bombing was 600-700 yards from the gun position. No aircraft lost.
30 Lancasters of No 3 Group and 8 Pathfinder Mosquitos located a gun position at Cap Griz Nez but no hits were scored. No aircraft lost.
28 Mosquitos to Osnabrück and 2 to Oberhausen, 4 RCM sorties, 10 Serrate patrols, 30 Halifaxes and 8 Stirlings minelaying off the Dutch and French coasts, 41 aircraft on Resistance operations, 26 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling lost on Resistance supply work.
Total effort for the night: 452 sorties, 12 aircraft (2.7 per cent) lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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