The 83 Sqdn left from Wyton at 1943-06-22 at 23:08
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial ED997, code OL-R).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 65: In the first large-scale daylight raid on the Ruhr, 235 B-17's are dispatched to hit the chemical works and synthetic rubber plant at Huls in the main attack; 183 bomb the target; we claim 46-21-35 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 16 and 75 others are damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 16 WIA and 151 MIA; this plant, representing a large percentage of the country's producing capacity, is severely damaged. 11 YB-40's accompany the Huls raid; 1 is lost.
In a second raid, 42 B-17's are dispatched to bomb the former Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp; 39 hit the target; they claim 1-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 4, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 17 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 40 MIA. An additional 21 B-17's fly an uneventful diversion.
Campaign report of the RAF:
21/22 June 1943
705 aircraft - 262 Lancasters, 209 Halifaxes, 117 Stirlings, 105 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitos. 44 aircraft - to Krefeld. 17 Halifaxes, 9 Lancasters, 9 Wellingtons, 9 Stirlings - were lost, 6.2 per cent of the force. This raid was carried out before the moon period was over and the heavy casualties were mostly caused by night fighters. 12 of the aircraft lost were from the Pathfinders; 35 Squadron lost 6 out of its 19 Halifaxes taking part in the raid. The raid took place in good visibility and the Pathfinders produced an almost perfect marking effort, ground-markers dropped by Oboe Mosquitos being well backed up by the Pathfinder heavies. 619 aircraft bombed these markers, more than three quarters of them achieving bombing photographs within 3 miles of the centre of the target. A large area of fire became established and this raged, out of control, for several hours.
1 Mosquito to Hamborn, 15 OTU sorties. No losses.
22/23 June 1943
Mülheim: 557 aircraft - 242 Lancasters, 155 Halifaxes, 93 Stirlings, 55 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitos.
The Pathfinders had to mark this target through a thin layer of stratus cloud but reports indicate accurate initial marking. In later stages of the raid, the Pathfinder markers and the bombing moved slightly, into the northern part of the town; this had the effect of cutting all road and telephone communications with the neighbouring town of Oberhausen, with which Mülheim was linked for air-raid purposes. Not even cyclists or motor-cyclists were able to get out of Mülheim; only messengers on foot could get through. The post-war British Bombing Survey Unit estimated that this single raid destroyed 64 per cent of the town of Mülheim.
4 Mosquitos each to Berlin and Cologne, 26 OTU sorties. 1 OTU Wellington lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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