The 76 Sqdn left from Linton on Ouse at 1943-02-26 at 19:20
He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type II, serial DT545, code MP-Q).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 37: 76 B-17s of the 1st Bombardment Wing and 17 B-24s of the 2d Bombardment Wing are dispatched against Bremen, Germany. The primary target is overcast so 59 B-17s and 6 B-24s attack the docks and surrounding areas of Wilhelmshaven, Germany dropping 164.25 tons of bombs between 1123 and 1125 hours local. We claim 21 Luftwaffe fighters destroyed, 9 probably destroyed and 5 damaged; we lose 5 B-17s and 2 B-24s plus 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair; casualties are 14 WIA and 73 MIA. The Luftwaffe attempts air-to-air bombing by fighter aircraft and the use of parachute bombs fired by AAA. Spitfire Mk Vs of the 4th Fighter Group fly 82 uneventful sorties; 6 on shipping patrols and 76 on 3 missions escorting Venturas attacking Dunkirk, France. [NOTE: At this time, there were 3 squadrons flying Ventura Mk Is and Mk IIs assigned to RAF Bomber Command and based in Norfolk, England. No. 21 Squadron, RAF, was based at Methwold; the other 2 squadrons, No. 464 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and No. 487 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), were based at Feltwell.
Campaign report of the RAF:
25/26 February 1943
Nuremberg raided by 337 aircraft - 169 Lancasters, 104 Halifaxes, 64 Stirlings. 9 aircraft - 6 Lancasters, 2 Stirlings, 1 Halifax - lost, 2.7 per cent of the force.
Weather conditions were poor and the Pathfinders were late with their marking. However, more than 300 buildings were damaged, including a historic military chapel which was burnt out.
6 Mosquitos to the Ruhr (13 people were killed in Cologne), 54 aircraft minelaying off Brittany and in the Frisians, 20 OTU sorties. No losses.
Total effort for the night: 417 sorties, 9 aircraft (2.2 per cent) lost.
26 February 1943
Dunkirk
60 Venturas. 33 aircraft bombed; none lost.
20 Mosquitos were sent to attack a naval stores depot at Rennes in France. 17 aircraft bombed and an ammunition dump was seen to explode. 3 Mosquitos were lost including 2 which collided.
26/27 February 1943
427 aircraft - 145 Lancasters, 126 Wellingtons, 106 Halifaxes, 46 Stirlings, 4 Mosquitos - bombed Cologne. Most of the bombs from this large raid fell to the south-west of the city and 10 aircraft - 4 Wellingtons, 3 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes, 1 Stirling - lost, 2.3 per cent of the force.
2 Mosquitos to Aachen, 21 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians, 4 OTU sorties. No losses.
Total effort for the night: 454 sorties, 10 aircraft (2.2 per cent) lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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