The 218 Sqdn left from Marham at 1942-04-24 at 22:57. Loc or duty Rostock

On Friday 24 April 1942, a member of the 218 Sqdn, Sergeant A J Cook, took off from Marham in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on Back to Normandy. 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 22:57.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type I, serial W7473, code HA-F).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

No report

Campaign report of the RAF:

23/24 April 1942

Rostock

161 aircraft - 93 Wellingtons, 31 Stirlings, 19 Whitleys, 11 Hampdens, 6 Manchesters, 1 Lancaster. 4 aircraft - 2 Wellingtons, 1 Manchester, 1 Whitley - lost.
This was the first of a series of 4 raids on this Baltic port town. These raids had many of the characteristics of the successful raid on nearby Lübeck 1 month earlier - a concentrated, incendiary, area-bombing attack of a town with only light defences. An added feature on each night, however, was the inclusion of a small force of bombers, from 5 Group on the first 3 nights, to attempt a precision attack on the Heinkel aircraft factory on the southern outskirts of Rostock. On this first night, 143 aircraft were sent to bomb the town and 18 the Heinkel factory. Bombing conditions were good but the results of the raid were disappointing. The Heinkel factory was not hit and most of the main bombing intended for the Altstadt fell between 2 and 6 miles away.

24 April 1942

12 Bostons bombed Flushing docks: 6 further Bostons to Abbeville were recalled. No Bostons lost.

24/25 April 1942

Rostock

125 aircraft of 6 types, 91 to the town and 34 to the Heinkel factory .1 Hampden lost. The centre of the town was bombed heavily on this night but the Heinkel factory buildings were not hit, although some bombs did fall in the general factory area.

Minor Operations: 39 aircraft to Dunkirk, 4 Blenheim Intruders, 3 leaflet flights. 1 Intruder lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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