The 623 Sqdn left from Downham Market at 1943-12-05 at 23:41. Loc or duty Gardening

On Sunday 05 December 1943, a member of the 623 Sqdn, Flight Sergeant W K Sutherland, took off from Downham Market 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 23:41.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial LK387, code IC-P).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

5 December 1943

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS

(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 149. Airfields in France are targetted; 8 B-17's and 1 B-24 are lost. 1. 216 B-17's are dispatched to La Rochelle/Laleu, St Jean D'Angely, Paris/Ivry, Paris/Bois and D'Colombes airfields; none hit the target due to weather; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged. 2. 96 B-24's are dispatched to Cognac/Chateaubernard Airfield; 2 hit St Nazaire; 1 B-24 is lost and 7 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 10 MIA. 3. 236 B-17's are dispatched to the Bordeaux/Merignac air depot; 1 hits the target; they claim 12-5-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17's are lost and 19 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 4 WIA and 50 MIA.

These missions are escorted by 34 P-38's and 266 P-47's plus 36 Ninth Air Force P-51's; 1 P-47 is lost; the pilot is MIA.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS

(Ninth Air Force): 52 B-26's bomb Ligescourt, Campagne- les-Hesdin, and Saint-Josse, France. 200 others are forced to abandon the mission because of heavy cloud cover over the targets, including V-weapon sites which the Ninth had scheduled to attack for the first time. Ninth Air Force P-51's from the 354th Fighter Group fly their first escort mission, accompanying Eighth Air Force heavy bombers in a raid against targets in the area near Amiens, France.

6 December 1943

(Ninth Air Force): HQ 70th Fighter Wing transfers from Greenham Common to Boxted, England while HQ 100th Fighter Wing transfers from Boxted to Greenham Common.

Campaign report of the RAF:

4/5 December 1943

9 Mosquitos to Duisburg, 48 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians, 9 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling minelayer and 1 OTU Whitley lost.

5/6 December 1943

3 Wellingtons flew RCM sorties without loss.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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