The 149 Sqdn left from Lakenheath at 1944-04-10 at 22:43. Loc or duty SOE
He flew with a Short Stirling (type III, serial LK382, code OJ-Q).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 295: 729 bombers and 496 fighters are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets and airfields in Belgium and France; 3 bombers and 2 fighters are lost.
1. 238 B-17s are dispatched to bomb aviation industry targets in Belgium; 123 bomb the aviation industry and airfield at Evere, 52 hit Brussels/ Melsbroek Airfield, 39 hit aviation industry targets at Brussels, and 20 hit Bergen op Zoom; 1 B-17 is lost and 99 damaged; casualties are 4 WIA and 10 MIA.
2. 248 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets and airfields in Belgium and France; in Belgium, 62 hit Maldagem Airfield, 60 hit Diest/ Schaffen Airfield and 42 hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield; in France, 21 hit Courcelles and 21 hit Beaumont sur Oise Airfield; they claim 0-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 19 damaged; casualties are 10 MIA.
3. 243 B-24s are dispatched to hit the airfield and aviation industry targets; in Belgium, 151 hit the airfield and aviation industry at Bourges; in France, 28 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 21 hit Romarantin Airfield and 15 hit V-weapon sites at Marquise/Mimoyecques; they claim 6-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 is lost and 3 damaged; casualties are 1 WIA and 10 MIA.
Escort is provided by 51 P-38s, 295 P-47s and 150 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s: P-38s haveno claims or losses; P-47s claim 12-0-7 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-47 is lost and 4 damaged, 1 pilot is MIA; P-51s claim 40-0-16 aircraft, 1 P-51 is lost and 1 damaged, 1 pilot is MIA.
Mission 296: Three forces are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions; all include P-38 Droopsnoot aircraft:
1. 39 P-38s are dispatched to attack Florennes/Juzaine Airfield, Belgium; no losses or claims.
2. 51 P-38s and 7 P-47s are dispatched to attack St Dizier, France; the primary is cloud covered and 16 P-38s attack Coulommiers Airfield, France; 2 P-38s are lost and 1 damaged; 2 pilots are MIA; the P-47s claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground.
3. 28 P-38s and 46 P-47s are dispatched to bomb Gutersloh, Germany; 1 P-38 is lost, the pilot is MIA.
Mission 297: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 2 million leaflets on Lille, Le Mans, Chartres, Reims and Orleans, France at 2212-2258 hours local without loss.
23 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): 258 B-26s and 41 A-20s, including 12 aircraft dropping Window, attack coastal batteries at Le Harve/Le Grand Hameau, France and military installation nearby. In Belgium during the afternoon 267 B-26s and A-20s bomb the marshalling yard, airfield, coastal defenses, and NOBALL targets at Charleroi/Montignies, Namur, Coxyde, Nieuport and other points on the N coast of W Europe.
47 P-47s dive-bomb the airfield at Evreux, France.
Campaign report of the RAF:
10/11 April 1944
Railways: 180 Lancasters of No 5 Group to Tours (1 aircraft lost); 157 Halifaxes of No 4 Group and 10 Pathfinder Mosquitos to Tergnier (10 Halifaxes lost); 148 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos to Laon (1 Lancaster lost); 132 Lancasters and 15 Pathfinder Mosquitos to Aulnoye (7 Lancasters lost); 122 Halifaxes of No 6 Group with 10 Pathfinder Mosquitos to Ghent in Belgium (No losses). With the exception of the raid at Laon, all the attacks inflicted heavy damage on their intended targets.
36 Mosquitos to Hannover and 2 to Duisburg, 17 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of No 617 Squadron to St Cyr signals depot, 8 RCM sorties, 9 Serrate patrols, 8 Stirlings minelaying off La Pallice, 46 aircraft on Resistance operations, 17 OTU sorties. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 908 sorties, 19 aircraft (2.1 per cent) lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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