COLOGNE
202 Lancasters and 10 Halifaxes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups. 14 Lancasters lost.
The marking for this raid was not by Oboe but by 16 heavy bombers of the Pathfinders fitted with H2S. The target was cloud-covered and some of the Pathfinder aircraft had trouble with their H2S sets. The sky-marking was late and sparse, and the bombing of the all-Lancaster Main Force was thus scattered. The local report believed that several hundred planes approached Cologne but, because of bad weather, only the first 100 bombed, the remainder turning back. Most of the damage in Cologne was to housing areas; 401 houses were destroyed and nearly 13,000 suffered varying degrees of damage. 16 industrial premises were hit, including the Kalk Chemical Works which, according to R.A.F. photographic reconnaissance, was burnt out. Other buildings destroyed or damaged included 9 railway stations, 2 railway stores, 1 telephone exchange, 2 district town halls (at Ehrenfeld and Spanischer Bau), 5 churches, 5 hospitals, 3 cinemas and 2 schools. 147 people were killed and 213 were injured.
Minor Operations: 3 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 4 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.
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7 Mosquitoes, 4 to Berlin and 3 to Cologne and the Ruhr. No aircraft lost.
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in 3 Group and flew Stirlings from Chedburgh until transferred to 38 Group in November 1943 for duty as a transport and glider-towing squadron.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
620 Squadron flew 339 Stirling sorties and lost 17 aircraft (5.0 percent) in 32 bombing and 29 minelaying raids. 9 further Stirlings were destroyed in crashes.
622 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 3 Group on
