MINOR OPERATIONS
34 Mosquitoes to Brunswick, 7 to Pforzheim and 4 each to Dortmund and Frankfurt, 3 R.C.M. sorties, 39 Mosquito patrols, 1 aircraft on a Resistance operation. No aircraft lost.
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WALCHEREN
252 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes commenced the attack on the sea walls of Walcheren island. Coastal gun batteries at Walcheren dominated the approaches to the port of Antwerp, whose facilities could handle 40,000 tons per day of much-needed supplies when ships could safely use the approaches. The intention was to flood the island, most of which was reclaimed polder below sea level. The flooding would submerge some of the gun batteries and also hamper the German defence against eventual ground attack.
The target for this first raid was the sea wall at Westkapelle, the most western point of Walcheren. The main bombing force was composed of 8 waves, each of 30 Lancasters, with marking provided by Oboe Mosquitoes and Pathfinder Lancasters, with the whole operation being controlled by a Master Bomber. The attack went well and a great mass of high-explosive bombs, mainly 1,000- and 500-pounders but with some 4,000-pounders, forced a gap during the fifth wave of the attack. Later waves widened the breach until the sea was pouring in through a gap estimated to be 100 yards wide. 8 Lancasters of 617 Squadron which were standing by were not needed and carried their valuable Tallboy bombs back to England. No aircraft were lost from this successful operation.
Minor operations: 6 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Hudsons on Resistance operations. No losses.
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MINOR OPERATIONS
43 Mosquitoes to Kassel, 6 each to Aschaffenburg and Pforzheim, 5 to Mnster and 4 to Kamen, 1 R.C.M. sortie, 19 Intruder patrols. No aircraft lost.
