The 51 Sqdn left from Snaith at 1943-06-12 at 23:25
He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type II, serial DT742, code MH-Y).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force): HQ 3d Bombardment Wing transfers from Elveden Hall, England to Marks Hall, England. HQ 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 337th, 339th and 413th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) transfer with B-17's from Great Saling, England to Snetterton Heath, England. The 449th, 450th, 451st and 452d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) transfer with B-26's from Rougham, England to Great Saling, England.
Campaign report of the RAF:
11/12 June 1943
Düsseldorf: 783 aircraft - 326 Lancasters, 202 Halifaxes, 143 Wellingtons, 99 Stirlings, 13 Mosquitos. The Pathfinder marking plan proceeded excellently until an Oboe Mosquito inadvertently released a load of target indicators 14 miles north-east of the target area. This caused part of the Main Force to waste its bombs on open country. But the main bombing caused extensive damage in the centre of Düsseldorf, where 130 acres were claimed as destroyed, and this proved to be the most damaging raid of the war for this city. 38 aircraft - 14 Lancasters, 12 Halifaxes, 10 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings - lost, 4.9 per cent of the force.
Münster: 72 aircraft - 29 Lancasters, 22 Halifaxes, 21 Stirlings - were dispatched on an interesting raid. All the aircraft were provided by No 8 Group and it was really a mass H2S trial. 33 of the aircraft carried markers or flares, the remaining aircraft acting as the bombing force, although the marker aircraft also bombed. The marking and bombing were very accurate and the whole raid lasted less than 10 minutes. Photographic reconnaissance showed that much damage was done to railway installations in Münster as well as to housing areas. Unfortunately the raid was expensive for the small force involved; 5 aircraft - 2 Halifaxes, 2 Lancasters and 1 Stirling - were lost, 6.9 per cent of the aircraft involved.
3 Mosquitos to Duisburg and 2 to Cologne, 23 OTU sorties to France. 1 OTU Wellington was lost.
12/13 June 1943
503 aircraft - 323 Lancasters, 167 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitos to Bochum.
This raid took place over a completely cloud-covered target but accurate Oboe skymarking enabled the all Lancaster/Halifax Main Force to cause severe damage to the centre of Bochum. 14 Lancasters and 10 Halifaxes lost, 4.8 per cent of the force.
Minelaying: 34 Wellingtons to the Frisians, Lorient and St Nazaire. No losses.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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