5 Wellingtons minelaying in the Frisian Islands without loss.
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LE HAVRE
23 Bostons, with fighter escort, attempted to bomb a large German merchant ship recently seen in Le Havre docks. The intended target had moved from its berth but a 5,000-ton ship near by was bombed instead and so badly damaged that she was later seen aground and later still seen in dry dock. No Bostons lost.
4 Mosquitoes bombed a factory at Hengelo and 1 Mosquito bombed the docks at Den Helder, all without loss.
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COLOGNE
289 aircraft - 109 Wellingtons, 74 Halifaxes, 62 Lancasters, 44 Stirlings. 18 aircraft - 6 Wellingtons, 5 Halifaxes, 5 Lancasters, 2 Stirlings - lost, 6.2 percent of the force.
This was not a successful raid. Winds were different from those forecast and the Pathfinders had difficulty in establishing their position and marking the target sufficiently to attract the Main Force away from a large decoy fire site which received most of the bombs. Cologne reports 1 'Luftmine' (out of 71 4,000-pounders carried by the bombing force), 3 other high-explosive bombs (out of 231) and 210 incendiary bombs (out of 68,590). 226 houses were damaged but only 2 of these received what was classed as 'serious damage'; 4 people were injured.
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but did not operate until after transferring to 6 Group in January 1943. Flew Wellingtons from Topcliffe and Leeming until detached to the Middle East in May 1943. Returned to 6 Group in October and converted to Halifaxes at Skipton-on-Swale, flying the first Halifax operation on
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but did not operate until after the transfer to 6 Group in January 1943. Flew Wellingtons, Lancasters (suffering heavy losses in the Battle of Berlin period) and then Halifaxes from Dishforth and Linton-on-Ouse between January 1943 and the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 33 bombing, 19 minelaying
Lancasters - 53 bombing
Halifaxes - 136 bombing
Total - 222 bombing, 19 minelaying = 241 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 467 sorties, 18 aircraft lost (3.9 percent)
Lancasters - 579 sorties, 28 aircraft lost (4.8 percent)
Halifaxes - 2,161 sorties, 22 aircraft lost (1.0 percent)
Total - 3,207 sorties, 68 aircraft lost (2.1 percent)
7 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Carried out the most Wellington bombing raids in 6 Group.
427 (LION) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 4 Group on
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and flew Wellingtons and Halifaxes from Driffield (twice) and Leconfield until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 46 bombing, 43 minelaying
Halifaxes - 168 bombing, 7 minelaying
Total - 214 bombing, 50 minelaying = 264 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 844 sorties, 25 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
Halifaxes - 2,484 sorties, 40 aircraft lost (1.6 percent)
Total - 3,328 sorties, 65 aircraft lost (2.0 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
Flew most sorties and suffered most losses in 4 Group Wellington squadrons.
467 (AUSTRALIAN) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 5 Group on
