MNCHENGLADBACH/RHEYDT
227 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups to these twin towns. 4 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito lost. Bomber Command claimed severe damage to both towns, particularly to Mnchengladbach. The only report from Germany states that between 267 and 271 people were killed in Mnchengladbach.
The Master Bomber for this raid was Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C., flying a 627 Squadron Mosquito from Coningsby, where he was serving as Base Operations Officer. Gibson's instructions over the target were heard throughout the raid and gave no hint of trouble, but his aircraft crashed - in flames according to a Dutch eyewitness - before crossing the coast of Holland for the homeward flight over the North Sea. There were no German fighter claims for the Mosquito; it may have been damaged by Flak over the target or on the return flight, or it may have developed engine trouble. It was possibly flying too low for the crew to escape by parachute. Gibson and his navigator, Squadron Leader J. B. Warwick, D.F.C., were both killed and were buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Steen-bergen-en-Kruisland, 13 km north of Bergen-op-Zoom. Theirs are the only graves of Allied servicemen in the cemetery.
Aircraft of 100 Group flew 15 R.C.M. and 17 Mosquito sorties without loss.
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CALAIS
646 aircraft - 437 Lancasters, 169 Halifaxes, 40 Mosquitoes - attacked German positions around Calais. Visibility was good and the bombing was accurate and concentrated. 1 Lancaster lost.
Minor Operations: 7 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Hudsons and 2 Lysanders on Resistance operations. No losses.
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100 Group Operations
2 Mosquitoes and 1 Fortress took off but were quickly recalled because of the widespread fog in England which prevented major operations being mounted.
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Wing Commander G. L. Cheshire, D.S.O., D.F.C.; the Victoria Cross was awarded on
