DÜSSELDORF
589 aircraft - 344 Lancasters, 233 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitoes. 18 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes - lost, 3.1 percent of the force.
The main weight of the raid fell in the centre and south of the city but it is difficult to obtain precise results of the outcome; like some other German cities, DÜSSELDORFs records start to show a deterioration under the pressure of the severe raids of 1943. There was certainly extensive damage both to housing and to industrial premises but a detailed rsum is not possible. The same problem exists with casualties. An early local report says that 23 people died but this appears to have been altered to 118 at a later date. The United States Bombing Survey gives a figure of 622 dead and 942 injured for the whole month of November; there were no more other attacks on DÜSSELDORF in that month.
38 Mark II Lancasters - 13 from 3 Group and 25 from 6 Group - which took part in this raid made the first large-scale test of the G-H blind-bombing device and attempted to bomb the Mannesmann tubular-steel works on the northern outskirts of DÜSSELDORF while the main raid was taking place. 5 of the G-H Lancasters had to return early and 2 more were lost; the equipment in 16 other aircraft failed to function leaving only 15 aircraft to bomb the factory on G-H. The DÜSSELDORF records do mention this factory, stating that 'several assembly halls were burnt out'; G-H later became a most useful blind-bombing device when it was produced in sufficient numbers for a major part of Bomber Command to be fitted with it.
COLOGNE
52 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 8 Group carried out a diversionary raid without loss.
A report from Cologne shows the extreme accuracy with which some of the bombs hit the centre of the city. The cathedral was hit several times, one heavy bomb blowing a 10-metre hole in the north-west tower. The Cathedral Hotel, another hotel near by and the ramp to the Hohenzollern Bridge were all severely damaged by high-explosive bombs. 7 people were killed in the city.
Minor Operations: 13 Oboe Mosquitoes to a Krupps foundry at Rheinhausen and 2 Mosquitoes to Dortmund, 23 aircraft of 3 Group minelaying in the Frisians, 27 O.T.U. sorties. 1 O.T.U. Whitley lost. H2S was used for the first time to assist the minelaying force and is an indication that a start had been made in equipping Main Force squadrons with H2S.
Total effort for the night: 716 sorties, 19 aircraft (2.7 percent) lost.
A further Victoria Cross was awarded for an action during the DÜSSELDORF raid. The Lancaster of Flight Lieutenant William Reid, 61 Squadron, was twice attacked by night fighters before the target was reached. The aircraft suffered extensive damage, which put most of its guns out of action; the navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in both attacks and his flight engineer was also hurt but Reid pressed on for the remaining 200 miles to the target and his bomb aimer, Sergeant L. G. Rolton, obtained an 'aiming point photograph'. The return flight was full of problems. The cockpit windscreen was shattered and the oxygen supply failed. The pilot lapsed into semi-consciousness and the injured flight engineer, Sergeant J. W. Norris, had to do some of the flying. Flight Lieutenant Reid recovered to take over for the emergency landing in misty conditions which took place at Shipdham in Norfolk, even though he could not see properly for blood running into his eyes from a head wound. One leg of the Lancaster's undercarriage collapsed but the landing was otherwise successful.
Flight Lieutenant Reid was awarded the Victoria Cross but the 61 Squadron Operations Record Book, not one of Bomber Command's best, does not say whether other crew members were decorated.
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MINOR OPERATIONS
24 Mosquitoes attacked a chemical works at Leverkusen, causing fires and a large explosion, 4 Mosquitoes to Aachen, 36 aircraft minelaying at various places from Lorient to the Kattegat. 4 minelaying Stirlings lost.
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Carried out more raids that any other Lancaster squadron in Bomber Command and second highest number of bombing raids, overall, in Bomber Command heavy Squadrons.
75 (NEW ZEALAND) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in April 1940 from the New Zealand Wellington Flight and served in 3 Group until the end of the war. Equipped with Wellingtons, Stirlings and Lancasters; based at Feltwell, Mildenhall, Newmarket and Mepal.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons - 291 bombing, 24 minelaying, 4 leaflet, 1 photo recce
Stirlings - 103 bombing, 107 minelaying
Lancasters - 190 bombing, 18 minelaying, 1 leaflet
Total - 584 bombing, 149 minelaying, 5 leaflet, 1 photo recce = 739 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons - 2,540 sorties, 74 aircraft lost (2.9 percent)
Stirlings - 1,736 sorties, 72 aircraft lost (4.1 percent)
Lancasters - 3,741 sorties, 47 aircraft lost (1.3 percent)
Total - 8,017 sorties, 193 aircraft lost (2.4 percent)
8 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
First New Zealand squadron and the only New Zealand night-bomber squadron in Bomber Command.
Victoria Cross: Sergeant J. A. Ward, Mnster,
