FLENSBURG
118 aircraft, including 31 Pathfinders. 4 aircraft - 2 Wellingtons, 1 Halifax, 1 Stirling - lost, 34 percent of the force.
Flensburg, on an inlet of the Baltic, was in theory an easy target for the Pathfinders on their first operation but the winds encountered were not as forecast and the bomber force drifted north of the target to a part of Denmark whose coast also had many inlets. 16 Pathfinder crews claimed to have marked the target area and 78 Main Force crews also claimed to have bombed in the correct place. Flensburg reports that the town was not hit at all but a Danish report shows that the towns of Snderborg and Abenra and a large area of Denmark up to 25 miles north of Flensburg were hit by scattered bombing. 26 houses were destroyed and 660 were damaged but only 4 Danish people were injured.
The Pathfinders lost their first aircraft on this night, Halifax W1226 of 35 Squadron captained by Sergeant J. W. Smith; the crew all became prisoners of war.
9 Wellingtons laid mines in the Frisian Islands without loss.
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THE DIEPPE RAID
2 Group flew 62 Boston smoke-laying and bombing sorties in support of the Canadian landing at Dieppe; some crews carried out more than 1 flight. 3 Bostons were lost.
1 Mosquito sent to bomb Bremen did not return.
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Introduced (with 7 Squadron) H2S into operational service.
37 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 3 Group on the outbreak of war, flying Wellingtons from Feltwell, until posted to the Middle East in November 1940.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 80 bombing and shipping sweeps, 8 leaflet
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 688 sorties, 15 aircraft lost (2.2 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
Operated on the first day of the war when 6 Wellingtons carried out a shipping sweep over the North Sea.
38 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 3 Group on the outbreak of the war, flying Wellingtons from Marham, until posted to the Middle East in November 1940.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 88 bombing and shipping sweeps, 3 leaflet
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 659 sorties, 7 aircraft lost (1.1 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
An operational squadron on the outbreak of war.
Suffered unusually low casualties for a squadron operating in the early months of the war.
40 SQUADRON
SERVICE
After a brief period flying Battles with the Advanced Air Striking Force in France, returned to England and converted to Blenheims in 2 Group, flying operations from March 1940. Transferred to 3 Group and converted to Wellingtons in November 1940. Posted to Malta in October 1941. Part of the squadron then appears to have returned to England in January 1942 (the squadron records are vague on this point) and resumed operations with 3 Group. This part of the squadron was then renumbered 156 Squadron on 11 or
