The 75 Sqdn left from Newmarket Heath at 1943-05-30 at 23:09

On Sunday 30 May 1943, a member of the 75 Sqdn, Warrant Officer C P F Middleton, took off from Newmarket Heath 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 23:09.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial BK776, code AA-B).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

No report

Campaign report of the RAF:

29/30 May 1943

Wuppertal

719 aircraft - 292 Lancasters, 185 Halifaxes, 118 Stirlings, 113 Wellingtons, 11 Mosquitos. 33 aircraft - 10 Halifaxes, 8 Stirlings, 8 Wellingtons, 7 Lancasters - lost, 4.6 per cent of the force.

This attack was aimed at the Barmen half of the long and narrow town of Wuppertal and was the outstanding success of the Battle of the Ruhr. Both Pathfinder marking and Main Force bombing was particularly accurate and a large fire area developed in the narrow streets of the old centre of the town. It is probable that this fire was so severe that the first, small form of what would later become known as a 'firestorm' developed. Because it was a Saturday night, many of the town's fire and air-raid officials were not present, having gone to their country homes for the weekend, and the fire services of the town - in their first raid - were not able to control the fires. Approximately 1,000 acres - possibly 80 per cent of Barmen's built-up area - was destroyed by fire. 5 out of the town's 6 largest factories, 211 other industrial premises and nearly 4,000 houses were completely destroyed.

3 OTU aircraft on leaflet flights to France were recalled.

30/31 May 1943

27 aircraft minelaying off Biscay ports, 14 OTU sorties. No losses.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

This record can also be found on the maps of Back to Normandy with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.

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