The 75 Sqdn left from Mepal at 1944-01-05 at 22:20. Loc or duty Gardening

On Wednesday 05 January 1944, a member of the 75 Sqdn, Flight Sergeant J Hannah, 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 22:20.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial LJ473, code AA-R).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): An Eighth Air Force report concludes that the US daylight strategic bombing program against Germany will be threatened unless steps are taken to reduce the enemy's fighter force, which has increased in strength in the W as a result of step-up in production, strengthening of firepower, and transfer of a larger percentage of fighters to the Western Front. Mission 176: Four targets are hit costing 24 bombers and 12 fighters. 1. 119 of 131 B-17's and 96 of 114 B-24's hit the shipyard and industrial area at Kiel, Germany plus 10 aircraft hit targets of opportunity; they claim 41-6-13 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17's and 5 B-24's are lost, 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 61 B-17's and 15 B-24's are damaged; casualties are 36 KIA, 5 WIA and 100 MIA.

This mission is escorted by 70 P-38's and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51's; they claim 22-1-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 P-38's are lost; casualties are 7 MIA. 2. 112 of 117 B-17's hit the Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield in France; they claim 50-10-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17's are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 49 damaged; casualties are 11 KIA, 21 WIA and 110 MIA.

This mission is escorted by 76 P-47's; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-47's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 5 MIA. 3. 78 of 79 B-17's hit the Tours Airfield in France; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; casualties are 10 MIA.

This mission is escorted by 149 P-47's; they claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; no casualties. 4. 73 of 78 hit targets of opportunity at Neuss, Geilenkirchen, Dusseldorf and Wassenburg, Germany; they claim 2-5-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17's are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 22 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 20 MIA.

Campaign report of the RAF:

4/5 January 1944

80 aircraft - 57 Stirlings, 12 Mosquitos, 11 Lancasters - to two flying bomb sites, one in the Pas de Calais and one at Bristillerie, near Cherbourg. Both targets were attacked effectively and no aircraft were lost.

Special Operations: Supplies and Agents For Resistance Forces

Bomber Command's records for this night contain their first mention of this type of operation, although Nos 138 and 161 Squadrons had been carrying out such operations for 2 years under nominal Bomber Command control. 18 Halifaxes and 1 Hudson of Nos 138 and 161 Squadrons made flights on this night and 6 Stirlings from No 214 Squadron also operated. No aircraft were lost. The Stirling flights represented a new type of work for the Stirling squadrons, which had recently been relieved from bombing raids to Germany.

13 Mosquitos to Berlin, 3 to Krefeld and 2 to Cologne, 4 RCM sorties, 40 aircraft minelaying off Lorient and Brest, 8 OTU sorties. No aircraft lost.

5/6 January 1944

348 Lancasters and 10 Halifaxes in the first large raid on Stettin since September 1941. The Mosquito diversion at Berlin successfully kept most of the German fighters away from the main force of bombers. 16 aircraft - 14 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 4.5 per cent of the force.

13 Mosquitos to Berlin and 25 to four other targets, 1 Mosquito RCM sortie, 1 Beaufighter Serrate patrol, 6 Lancasters minelaying off Swinemünde. No losses.

The Beaufighter sortie on this night was the last Serrate flight by this type of aircraft; all later Serrate patrols were carried out by Mosquitos.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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