GENOA
72 Lancasters of the Pathfinder Force and 5 Group. 2 Lancasters lost.
The attack was concentrated but most bombs fell in residential areas. No separate report for this raid is available from Genoa.
Minor Operations: 65 aircraft minelaying from Lorient to the Frisians, 4 O.T.U. sorties, 3 Stirling minelayers lost.
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6 Mosquitoes of 105 Squadron carried out a successful low-level attack on the 5,000-ton German ship Elsa Essberger which had just arrived in the mouth of the River Gironde from a blockade-running voyage from the Far East with scarce raw materials. The merchant ship was escorted by an armed naval vessel. The Mosquitoes claimed to have hit both ships but 1 Mosquito was shot down.
In other operations, 9 Bostons, 6 Venturas and 5 Wellingtons attempted raids to many places in Germany, Belgium and Holland but most only achieved attacks on minor targets of opportunity. 1 Boston and 1 Ventura lost.
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GENOA
175 aircraft - 85 Lancasters, 45 Halifaxes, 39 Stirlings, 6 Wellingtons. 6 aircraft - 4 Halifaxes. 1 Lancaster. 1 Wellington - lost, 3.4 percent of the force.
Returning crews claimed a very successful and concentrated raid and this was confirmed by photographs. No report is available from Genoa.
36 Wellingtons of 1 Group minelaying in many areas from St-Nazaire to Denmark. 1 aircraft lost.
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, this time in 3 Group, and flew Stirlings and Lancasters in 3 Group until the end of the war. Based at Watton, West Raynham and Polebrook while with 2 Group and at Ridge-well, West Wickham (renamed Wratting Common in August 1943) and Tuddenham while with 3 Group.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
2
Group Fortresses - 20 bombing
3
Group Stirlings - 111 bombing and Resistance operations, 100 minelaying
3
Group Lancasters - 162 bombing, 19 minelaying
Total - 293 bombing, etc., 119 minelaying = 412 raids
Sorties and Losses
2
Group Fortresses - 52 sorties, 3 aircraft lost (5.6 percent)
3
Group Stirlings - 1,937 sorties, 58 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
3
Group Lancasters - 2,624 sorties, 25 aircraft lost (1.0 percent)
Total - 4,613 sorties, 86 aircraft lost (1.9 percent)
26 Stirlings and 12 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Introduced the B-17 Flying Fortress to R.A.F. service and the only squadron to operate the Fortress in the daylight-bombing role.
97 (STRAITS SETTLEMENTS) SQUADRON
SERVICE
A training squadron on the outbreak of war and lost its identity in April 1940. Reformed in May 1940 as a Whitley squadron in 4 Group but never operated and was disbanded before the end of that month. Again re-formed, in February 1941, this time in 5 Group, where Manchesters and Lancasters were flown. Transferred to 8 Group in April 1943 and flew Pathfinder operations for a year, suffering heavy losses. Returned to 5 Group in April 1944 as part of 5 Group's own marker force until the end of the war. Based at Waddington, Coningsby and Woodhall Spa in the first spell with 5 Group, at Bourn with 8 Group and at Coningsby again on the return to 5 Group.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
5
Group Manchesters - 33 bombing, 3 minelaying
5
Group Lancasters (to
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as a Wellington squadron in 4 Group and commenced operations in February 1943, flying from Leconfield. Transferred to 3 Group in July 1943 and flew Stirlings from Witchford until November 1943 when the squadron left Bomber Command to become a glider-towing and transport unit.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
4
Group Wellingtons - 33 bombing, 23 minelaying
3
Group Stirlings - 12 bombing, 18 minelaying
Total - 45 bombing, 41 minelaying = 86 raids
Sorties and Losses
4
Group Wellingtons - 517 sorties, 13 aircraft lost (2.5 percent)
3
Group Stirlings - 166 sorties, 11 aircraft lost (6.6 percent)
Total - 683 sorties, 24 aircraft lost (3.5 percent)
199 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed on
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as a Wellington squadron in 1 Group, based at Blyton and Ingham. Transferred to 3 Group on
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but only flew one minelaying operation before being transferred to 6 Group in January 1943. Flew Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Lancasters until the end of the war; based at Croft and Leeming.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
4
Group Wellingtons - 1 minelaying
6
Group Wellingtons - 26 bombing, 10 minelaying
6
Group Halifaxes - 190 bombing, 21 minelaying
6
Group Lancasters - 16 bombing, 7 minelaying
Total - 232 bombing, 39 minelaying = 271 raids
Sorties and Losses
4
Group Wellingtons - 3 sorties, no losses
6
Group Wellingtons - 267 sorties, 10 aircraft lost (3.7 percent)
6
Group Halifaxes - 2,800 sorties, 58 aircraft lost (2.1 percent)
6
Group Lancasters - 239 sorties, 1 aircraft lost (0.4 percent)
Total - 3,309 sorties, 69 aircraft lost (2.1 percent)
1 Lancaster was destroyed in a crash.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Carried out (with 419 Squadron) the most raids in 6 Group.
Carried out the most Halifax raids and flew the most Halifax sorties in 6 Group.
428 (GHOST) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 4 Group on
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but did not operate until after transferring to 6 Group. Flew Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Lancasters until the end of the war, being based at Dalton and Middleton St George.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 26 bombing, 9 minelaying
Halifaxes - 69 bombing, 53 minelaying
Lancasters - 111 bombing
Total - 206 bombing, 62 minelaying = 268 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 350 sorties, 17 aircraft lost (4.9 percent).
Halifaxes - 1,406 sorties, 32 aircraft lost (2.3 percent)
Lancasters - 1,677 sorties, 18 aircraft lost (1.1 percent)
Total - 3,433 sorties, 67 aircraft lost (2.0 percent)
10 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
429 (BISON) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 4 Group on
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but, unlike most Canadian squadrons, did not transfer to 6 Group until
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and flew Lancasters from Scampton, Bottesford and Waddington until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
467 Squadron flew 3,833 Lancaster sorties and lost 104 aircraft (2.7 percent) in 299 bombing and 15 minelaying raids. 14 further Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
487 (NEW ZEALAND) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 2 Group and flew Venturas from Feltwell and Methwold until 2 Group left Bomber Command in May 1943. Continued to operate in the 2nd Tactical Air Force until the end of the war, converting to Mosquito fighter-bombers in August 1943.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
487 Squadron flew 273 Ventura sorties and lost 15 aircraft (5.5 percent) in 27 bombing raids. 1 further Ventura was destroyed in a crash.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Victoria Cross: Squadron Leader L. H. Trent, Amsterdam Power Station,
