The 115 Sqdn left from East Wretham at 1942-11-23 at 18:40
He flew with a Vickers Wellington (type III, serial BJ842, code KO-W).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
22 October 1942 (Eighth Air Force): Mission 22: 68 B-17s and 8 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Keroma U-boat pens at Lorient, France; only 11 B-17s find a gap in the 10/10 cloud cover and bomb at 1410 hours local without loss.
23 October 1942 (Eighth Air Force): Mission 23: 50 B-17s and 8 B-24s are dispatched to hit the St Nazaire submarine base in France for the 5th time in 2 weeks; the cumulative effect of the operation on the base is large though the sub shelter shows little permanent damage; 28 B-17s and 8 B-24s hit the target; they claim 16-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; the AAF crews report a change in fighter tactics from rear to head-on attack as the Luftwaffe learns that the B-17 and B-24 are weak in forward firepower; 4 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 16 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 16 WIA and 43 MIA. Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, First Lord of the Admiralty, writes to Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker, Commanding General Eighth AF, praising the effects of the US bomber attacks on disorganizing the servicing schedule of the German U-boat bases on the French W coast.
Campaign report of the RAF:
22/23 November 1942
Stuttgart
222 aircraft - 97 Lancasters, 59 Wellingtons, 39 Halifaxes, 27 Stirlings. 10 aircraft - 5 Lancasters, 3 Wellingtons, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 4.5 per cent of the force.
A thin layer of cloud and some ground haze concealed Stuttgart and the Pathfinders were not able to identify the centre of the city. Heavy bombing developed to the south-west and south and the outlying residential districts of Vaihingen, Rohr, Mohringen and Plieningen, all about 5 miles from the centre, were hit. 88 houses were destroyed and 334 seriously damaged; 28 people were killed and 71 injured.
There was 1 OTU leaflet sortie to France which returned safely.
23/24 November 1942
Minelaying: 35 aircraft to Biscay ports and the Frisian Islands without loss.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
This record can also be found on the maps of Back to Normandy with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.
There are several possibilities to investigate the flight records on Back to Normandy. All the flights are plotted on maps, sorted "day by day", "by squadron", "by type aircraft", "by year or month", "by location" and much more! Don't miss this!!!
If you have any information that you want to share, please add your comment at the bottom of this record. Or send your information to [email protected]. This information will be added to the record.
Your photos and your information are very welcome! The young do care and with your help we keep up the good work.