The 90 Sqdn left from Wratting Common at 1943-06-26 at 23:29. Loc or duty Gelsenkirchen

On Saturday 26 June 1943, a member of the 90 Sqdn, Flight Lieutenant F C McKenzie, took off from Wratting Common 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 23:29.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial EH900, code WP-Y).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): Air Marshall Trafford L Leigh-Mallory is given responsibility for drafting air plans for the invasion of the Continent. His deputy is Brigadier General Haywood S Hansell, Jr. Eighth Air Force Mission Number 68: 165 B-17's are dispatched against the Vilacoublay, France air depot; 12 hit the target while 6 hit the secondary target, Poissy Airfield, and 39 bomb Tricqueville Airfield; they claim 17-5-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 5 B-17's and 14 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 51 MIA. 5 YB-40 escort bombers take off to accompany heavy bombers but none are able to complete the attack.

Campaign report of the RAF:

25/26 June 1943

473 aircraft ordered to Gelsenkirchen - 214 Lancasters, 134 Halifaxes, 73 Stirlings, 40 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitos. This was the first raid to the city since 1941, when it had been one of Bomber Command's regular 'oil targets', although, being in the middle of the Ruhr, this town had often been hit when other targets were attacked. 30 aircraft - 13 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 6 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons - were lost, 6.3 per cent of the force.

The raid was not a success. The target was obscured by cloud and the Oboe Mosquitos, for once, failed to produce regular and accurate marking since 5 of the 12 Oboe aircraft found that their equipment was unserviceable.

33 aircraft were sent minelaying in the Frisians and off French ports. 1 Lancaster lost.

26/27 June 1943

4 Mosquitos to Hamburg, 3 Mosquitos to Duisburg, 16 Wellingtons minelaying off Lorient and Brest, 14 OTU sorties. 1 Wellington minelayer lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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