KIEL
49 aircraft - 33 Wellingtons, 10 Hampdens, 6 Halifaxes - to attack the floating dock. 2 Wellingtons and 1 Halifax lost.
It was a night of mixed fortunes. Crews claimed good results in clear weather with bombs close to the floating dock. A high-explosive bomb scored a direct hit on the bows of the Gneisenau, causing severe damage and kiling 116 men in the crew. This proved to be the end of Gneisenau as a fighting unit. Her guns were later removed for coastal defence work and she was taken to Gdynia but never repaired. Bombing in the town of Kiel destroyed several houses and killed 16 people.
A report from Denmark shows how some of the bomber crews failed to locate Kiel accurately and dropped their loads on towns on the islands and coast of east Denmark. Damage and casualties were caused in Vejle (3 killed, 6 injured) and Odense (1 killed, 7 injured). Vejle was 100 miles north of Kiel!
Minor Operations: 27 Hampdens minelaying off German ports, 5 Hampdens on leaflet flights. No losses.
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KIEL
68 aircraft - 33 Wellingtons, 17 Manchesters, 18 Hampdens - to bomb the floating dock. The area was completely cloud-covered. 47 aircraft bombed the approximate position of Kiel but, although Kiel reports hearing the planes, no bombs dropped in the town. No aircraft were lost.
WILHELMSHAVEN
33 aircraft of mixed types were sent to find and bomb the Scharnhorst, which was believed to be at Wilhelmshaven, but the cloud was present here also. Wilhelmshaven reports only 3 bombs exploding, in the water of the harbour. 3 Whitleys lost.
11 Hampdens and 4 Manchesters minelaying in the Frisians without loss.
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Flew more Whitley sorties than any other squadron.
57 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Returned from the Advanced Air Striking Force in France in May 1940 and served with 2 Group until June, flying Blenheims from Wyton and Gatwick. In Coastal Command from late June to late October 1940. Posted to 3 Group and flew Wellingtons from Feltwell from November 1940 to September 1942. Posted to 5 Group and flew Lancasters from Scampton and East Kirkby until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
2
Group Blenheims - 34 offensive sweeps, 3 bombing
3
Group Wellingtons - 166 bombing, 7 minelaying
5
Group Lancasters - 313 bombing, 35 minelaying
Total - 482 bombing, 42 minelaying, 34 sweeps = 558 raids
Sorties and Losses
2
Group Blenheims - 58 sorties, 10 aircraft lost (17.2 percent)
3
Group Wellingtons - 1,056 sorties, 54 aircraft lost (5.1 percent)
5
Group Lancasters - 4,037 sorties, 108 aircraft lost (2.7 percent)
Total - 5,151 sorties, 172 aircraft lost (3.3 percent)
31 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
57
Squadron served in three different groups but always suffered higher-than-average casualties. Its percentage loss rate was the highest in the squadrons of 2 Group (though with only a small number of sorties), the highest in the Wellington squadrons of 3 Group and the highest, for all aircraft types combined, in Bomber Command.
58 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 4 Group at the outbreak of the war; detached to Coastal Command in the winter of 1939-40 and posted permanently to Coastal Command in April 1942, where the squadron had a very successful anti-submarine career. Equipped with Whitleys and based at Linton-on-Ouse while with Bomber Command.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Whitleys - 219 bombing, 8 leaflet = 227 raids
Sorties and Losses
Whitleys - 1,757 sorties, 49 aircraft lost (2.8 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
An operational squadron on the outbreak of war and flew leaflet sorties on the first night of the war.
61 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 5 Group from the outbreak until the end of the war but detached to Coastal Command in November/December 1940 and in July/August 1942. Equipped with Hampdens, Manchesters and Lancasters; based at Hemswell, North Luffenham, Woolfox Lodge, Syerston, Skellingthorpe (twice) and Coningsby.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Hampdens - 229 bombing, 49 minelaying, 3 'night-fighter' over English cities, 2 leaflet
Manchesters - 33 bombing, 11 minelaying
Lancasters - 351 bombing, 25 minelaying, 1 leaflet
Total - 613 bombing, 85 minelaying, 3 'night-fighter', 3 leaflet = 704 raids
Sorties and Losses
Hampdens - 1,339 sorties, 28 aircraft lost (2.1 percent)
Manchesters - 197 sorties, 12 aircraft lost (6.1 percent)
Lancasters - 4,546 sorties, 116 aircraft lost (2.6 percent)
Total - 6,082 sorties, 156 aircraft lost (2.6 percent)
25 Lancasters destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
An operational squadron on the outbreak of war.
Victoria Cross: Flight Lieutenant W. Reid, DÜSSELDORF,
