The 75 Sqdn left from Mepal at 1943-11-05 at 15:57. Loc or duty Gardening

On Friday 05 November 1943, a member of the 75 Sqdn, Flight Sergeant A G Fawcett, took off from Mepal 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 15:57.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial EE897, code AA-G).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

ANTISUBMARINE OPERATIONS: B-25's of the 1st Composite Squadron and USN land-based aircraft based on Ascension Island sink U-848 in the S Atlantic at 10-09S 18-00W.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS

(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 121. Two targets in Germany are hit with the loss of 8 B-17's and 3 B-24's. 1. 323 of 374 B-17's and 9 of 11 B-17 pathfinders hit the marshalling yard and oil plants at Gelsenkirchen, Germany at 1313-1350 hours; they claim 6-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17's are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 223 damaged.

Casualties are 4 KIA, 35 WIA and 84 MIA. The B-17's are escorted by 47 P-38's and 336 P-47's; they claim 18-6-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 P-47's are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair; casualties are 4 MIA.

2. 104 of 118 B-24's hit the marshaling yard at Munster at 1349-1358 hours; they claim 21-3-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 43 damaged; casualties are 7 KIA, 22 WIA and 31 MIA.

3. VIII Bomber Command Mission 122: 5 B-17's drop 1,004,000 leaflets over Paris, Amiens, Rouen and Caen at 1917-2005 hours; no losses or casualties.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS

(Ninth Air Force): An Eighth Air Force training officer arrives to assist HQ IX Fighter Command in setting up a comprehensive training system for fighter pilots.

The training is based on the Eighth Air Force system; the Eighth Air Force and Royal Air Force (RAF) cooperate with the Ninth in instituting this program. 150+ B-26's bomb construction works at Mimoyecques, France; poor visibility causes one group to bomb the area SW of the primary targets; bad weather causes numerous aborts.

The 356th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, arrives at Greenham Common, England from the U.S. with P-51's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on 1 Dec.

Campaign report of the RAF:

4/5 November 1943

24 Mosquitos attacked a chemical works at Leverkusen, causing fires and a large explosion, 4 Mosquitos to Aachen, 36 aircraft minelaying at various places from Lorient to the Kattegat. 4 minelaying Stirlings lost.

5/6 November 1943

26 Mosquitos made small attacks on Bochum, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Hannover. 27 OTU Wellingtons carried leaflets to France. No aircraft lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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