TIRPITZ
38 Lancasters of 9 and 617 Squadrons and a 5 Group Mosquito for weather reconnaissance had set out on 11 September to fly to Northern Russia in preparation for this raid on the 45,000-ton battleship Tirpitz, which was at anchor in Kaa Fjord in Northern Norway. 1 aircraft returned to Britain and 6 crash-landed in Russia but their crew members were not seriously hurt. Only 27 Lancasters and a further Lancaster with a cameraman on board were available for the raid on the Tirpitz, which eventually took place on 15 September. 20 aircraft were loaded with the 12,000-lb Tallboy bomb and 6 (or 7, the records are not clear) carried several 'Johnny Walker' mines - of 400-500 lb weight developed for attacking capital ships moored in shallow water.
The attack caught the Tirpitz by surprise and her smoke-screens were late in starting. One Tallboy hit the Tirpitz near the bows and caused considerable damage. The shock caused by the explosion of this bomb, or possibly from other bombs which were near misses, also damaged the battleship's engines. The Germans decided that repairs to make Tirpitz fully seaworthy were not practicable and she was later moved to an anchorage further south in Norway, but only for use as a semi-static heavy-artillery battery. These results of the raid were not known in England at the time and further raids against Tirpitz would take place.
None of the Lancasters were shot down on the raid and all returned safely to the airfield in Russia but the 617 Squadron aircraft of Flying Officer F. Levy crashed in Norway while returning to Lossiemouth 2 days later with 11 men on board.
(This raid, with its outward and return transit flights across enemy-held territory and its Mosquito weather flights, is counted as 97 operational sorties in the statistical rsum of this diary and the aircraft lost are estimated as 11 - 1 crashed in Norway and 10 crash-landed or abandoned in Russia.)
9 R.C.M. sorties and 1 Resistance operation flight were also carried out on 15 September without loss.
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KIEL
490 aircraft - 310 Lancasters, 173 Halifaxes, 7 Mosquitoes - of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 4 Halifaxes and 2 Lancasters lost.
The evidence of returning crews and of photographs caused Bomber Command to record this as 'a highly concentrated raid' with 'the old town and modern shopping centre devastated'. The local report confirms this as a heavy attack, and records damage in the centre and port areas, but describes how much of the bombing fell outside Kiel. Unusually low numbers of 12 deaths and 28 people injured were recorded.
SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
164 aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 27 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 9 to Lbeck and 8 to Rheine airfield, 34 R.C.M. sorties, 56 Mosquito patrols, 68 Halifaxes and Lancasters minelaying near Oslo, in the Kattegat and in the River Elbe. 5 aircraft lost - 3 Mosquitoes and 1 Stirling of 100 Group and 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid.
Total effort for the night: 856 sorties, 11 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost.
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and operated in that role, flying from Wyton, until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
128 Squadron flew 1,531 sorties and lost 2 aircraft (0.1 percent) in 157 bombing raids.
138 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed from 1419 Flight in August 1941 as the first Special Duty squadron in Bomber Command for what are called Resistance operations in these diaries. Whitleys, Halifaxes and Stirlings were used for the dropping of supplies and agents by parachute, and Lysanders for the delivery and collection of agents and urgent packages from secret landing grounds in the occupied countries. A very few sorties were also flown by Liberators and a Wellington. Early operations were flown from Newmarket and Stradishall but the main base used was Tempsford. The squadron was administered by 3 Group, although 38 Group had some control over the operations.
The squadron gave up its special role in March 1945 and became a normal Lancaster bomber squadron, still in 3 Group and flying from Tuddenham.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
It is impossible to give a full record of 138 Squadron's operations because the Operations Record Book for the early part of the squadron's life is not complete. It is known that 438 operations were carried out on Resistance work, flying at least 2,578 sorties - 1,788 Halifaxes, 503 Stirlings, 219 Whitleys, approximately 64 Lysanders, 3 Liberators and 1 Wellington. 69 aircraft (2.7 percent) are known to have been lost 47 Halifaxes, 11 Lysanders (often after becoming bogged down in soft ground in French fields), 10 Stirlings and 1 Whitley.
In its bomber role from March to May 1945, the squadron dispatched 105 Lancaster sorties on 9 raids and lost 1 aircraft (1.0 percent).
POINTS OF INTEREST
Carried out more operations in support of Resistance groups than any other squadron.
Had Czechoslovak airmen among its aircrew in late 1941.
139 (JAMAICA) SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 2 Group on the outbreak of war, flying Blenheims from Wyton. Posted to the Advanced Air Striking Force in France in December 1939 and, after being almost wiped out in the Battle of France, returned to England in May 1940. Resumed operations in 2 Group, flying from Horsham St Faith (twice) and Oulton (twice). Posted to Malta in December 1941 and lost its identity. Re-formed in 2 Group again with Mosquito day bombers in June 1942 and again suffered heavy losses flying from Horsham St Faith (twice more), Oulton, Marham and Wyton. Transferred to 8 Group in June 1943 and became a most useful all-purpose night-bomber squadron, dropping markers, Window or bombs, often in diversionary raids until the end of the war. Based at Wyton and Upwood while with 8 Group.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
2
Group Bostons - 190 bombing, 7 photo recce
2
Group Mosquitoes - 56 bombing, 10 weather/photo recce
8
Group Mosquitoes - 438 bombing and marker
Total - 684 bombing, 17 recce = 701 raids
Sorties and Losses
2
Group Blenheims - 1,112 sorties, 33 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
2
Group Mosquitoes - 245 sorties, 14 aircraft lost (5.7 percent)
8
Group Mosquitoes - 4,187 sorties, 23 aircraft lost (0.5 percent)
Total - 5,544 sorties, 70 aircraft lost (1.3 percent)
6 Blenheims were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
An original squadron on the outbreak of war and flew Bomber Command's first sortie of the war, a reconnaissance mission over the North Sea and Germany, on the first day of the war. Almost continuous service throughout the war if Advanced Air Striking Force and Malta detachments are included.
Carried out most bombing raids in 2 Group.
Suffered most losses and highest percentage losses in 8 Group Mosquito squadrons.
141 SQUADRON
SERVICE
A night-fighter squadron in Fighter Command which developed the Serrate device for detecting and engaging German night fighters. After several months of carrying out such operations independently, the squadron was transferred to 100 Group in December 1943 and flew with Bomber Command until the end of the war, being based at West Raynham.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
The Squadron operated on 223 occasions, mostly at night, while with 100 Group, flying 12 sorties with Beaufighters and 1,202 with Mosquitoes. Most of these were Serrate operations but 84 ordinary Intruder sorties were flown. 11 Mosquitoes (0.9 percent) were lost.
The squadron claimed 70 German aircraft destroyed, 4 probables and 21 damaged in the air, and 7 aircraft destroyed and 3 damaged on the ground, as well as 58 railway engines, 7 ships and 2 motor vehicles attacked on the ground.
POINTS OF INTEREST
141 Squadron performed a most valuable service in developing Serrate and introducing this form of operation to 100 Group. Only one other squadron in 100 Group claimed more German aircraft destroyed, and then by only one aircraft.
142 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Returned from the Advanced Air Striking Force in France in May 1940 and served in I Group, flying Battles and Wellingtons from Waddington, Binbrook (twice), Eastchurch, Grimsby and Kirmington. Detached to 38 Group for parachute training in June and July 1942 but no operations were flown and the squadron returned to 1 Group. The main body of the squadron was posted to the Middle East in December 1942 and flew operations there until the squadron was disbanded in October 1944. Re-formed the same month in England and served as a Mosquito squadron in 8 Group's Light Night Striking Force until the end of the war, being based at Gransden Lodge during this period.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
1
Group Battles - 16 bombing
1
Group Wellingtons - 132 bombing, 32 minelaying, 1 leaflet
8
Group Mosquitoes - 116 bombing
Total - 264 bombing, 32 minelaying, 1 leaflet = 297 raids
Sorties and Losses
1
Group Battles - 63 sorties, 4 aircraft lost (6.3 percent)
1
Group Wellingtons - 1,073 sorties, 47 aircraft lost (4.4 percent)
8
Group Mosquitoes - 1,095 sorties, 2 aircraft lost (0.2 percent)
Total - 2,231 sorties, 53 aircraft lost (2.4 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
Flew most Battle sorties in Bomber Command.
144 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 5 Group at the outbreak of the war; flew Hampdens intensively from Hemswell and North Luffenham until April 1942 when the squadron transferred to Coastal Command for training as a torpedo-bomber squadron, in which role it operated with much success until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Hampdens - 276 bombing, 42 minelaying, 6 leaflet = 324 raids
Sorties and Losses
Hampdens - 2,045 sorties, 62 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
An original squadron on the outbreak of war, carrying out operations over the North Sea from
