KIEL
68 Wellingtons to attack the Deutsche Werke U-boat yard. 5 aircraft lost.
The report from Kiel indicates that the port area was successfully bombed, with damage in the Deutsche Werke and the Germania Werft, both building U-boats, and in the naval dockyard. The accommodation ship Hamburg was hit. There was also bombing in the town. Casualties are listed as 12 killed and 21 injured but it is not known whether service personnel were included. The Kiel report adds two unusual items, a siren which suffered a technical defect and 'howled' for an hour and a half, and a warning issued for people to watch out for spies being dropped by parachute during the raid.
EMDEN
20 Wellingtons and 20 Whitleys; 3 Whitleys lost. Bombing photographs indicated that the nearest bombs were 5 miles from the target.
Minor Operations: 26 Hampdens and 1 Manchester minelaying off German ports, 1 Hampden on a leaflet flight to France. No losses.
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. Based at Wyton while with 2 Group and at Alconbury with 3 Group.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
2
Group Blenheims - 93 bombing, 13 reconnaissance, 3 sweeps
3
Group Wellingtons - 90 bombing
Total - 186 bombing and sweeps, 13 reconnaissance = 199 raids
Sorties and Losses
2
Group Blenheims - 526 sorties, 22 aircraft lost (4.2 percent)
3
Group Wellingtons - 730 sorties, 31 aircraft lost (4.2 percent)
Total - 1,256 sorties, 53 aircraft lost (4.2 percent)
3 Blenheims were destroyed in crashes.
44 (RHODESIA) SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 5 Group from the outbreak until the end of the war. Detachments of 6 aircraft were twice sent for short periods to Coastal Command but the main part of the squadron continued to operate with Bomber Command. Equipped with Hampdens and Lancasters; based at Waddington, Dunholme Lodge and Spilsby.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Hampdens - 246 bombing, 81 minelaying, 7 leaflet, 4 'night-fighter' over English cities
Lancasters - 272 bombing, 27 minelaying
Total - 518 bombing, 108 minelaying, 7 leaflet, 4 'night-fighter' = 637 raids
Sorties and Losses
Hampdens - 2,043 sorties, 43 aircraft lost (2.1 percent)
Lancasters - 4,362 sorties, 149 aircraft lost (34 percent)
Total - 6,405 sorties, 192 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
21 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Continuous, unbroken service with Bomber Command throughout the war, one of only two squadrons to claim this honour (see 149 Squadron); the only squadron with continuous service in 5 Group. Operated on the first day of the war when 9 Hampdens flew a shipping search over the North Sea.
Introduced the Lancaster to operational service and sustained heavy casualties on this aircraft.
Victoria Cross: Squadron Leader J. D. Nettleton, daylight raid on Augsburg,
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. Flew Wellingtons and Lancasters until the end of the war, a conversion to Halifaxes after the Wellington phase being cancelled before any operations were flown on this type. Based at Breighton and Binbrook.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 50 bombing, 9 minelaying, 2 leaflet
Lancasters - 280 bombing, 27 minelaying
Total - 330 bombing, 36 minelaying, 2 leaflet = 368 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 538 sorties, 29 aircraft lost (5.4 percent)
Lancasters - 5,700 sorties, 140 aircraft lost (2.5 percent)
Total - 6,238 sorties, 169 aircraft lost (2.7 percent)
31 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Being a three-flight squadron for most of its operational career, and serving in a group which strove for maximum efforts and bomb loads, led to 460 Squadron being credited with many records.
Flew the most sorties in 1 Group.
Carried out the most bombing raids, flew the most sorties and suffered the most losses in Australian squadrons.
Suffered the highest percentage loss in all Bomber Command Wellington squadrons.
Flew the most Lancaster sorties in 1 Group and in Bomber Command; suffered the most Lancaster losses in 1 Group.
Believed to have dropped the greatest tonnage of bombs - approximately 24,000 tons - in Bomber Command.
462 (AUSTRALIAN) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed as a Halifax squadron in the Middle East in September 1942 but lost its identity in March 1944. Re-formed in 4 Group on
