12 Venturas of 487 (New Zealand) Squadron were dispatched to attack a power-station on the northern outskirts of Amsterdam. 1 aircraft returned early; the remaining 11 proceeded with an escort of 3 squadrons of Spitfires. Unfortunately, an earlier Spitfire sweep alerted the German defences while the Ventura force was still flying at low level over the North Sea. Unfortunately, too, an exceptional number of experienced German fighter pilots were present at Schiphol airfield for a conference. 69 German fighters were thus up in the air near Amsterdam when the Ventura force crossed the Dutch coast. Some of the German fighters engaged the Spitfires while the remainder attacked the bombers. 9 Venturas were shot down before reaching the target and a tenth was badly damaged but it managed to turn back and reach England. The only remaining Ventura from the formation was that of Squadron Leader L. H. Trent, a New Zealander. His Ventura, completely alone, pressed on to the target and bombed it. The bombs just missed but some blast damage was caused. This last Ventura was then immediately shot down. Squadron Leader Trent and his navigator were the only survivors and became prisoners of war. The story of this action, in which 10 out of 11 Venturas were shot down, was reconstructed after the war and Squadron Leader Trent was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1946.
6 Bostons successfully bombed the steelworks at Ijmuiden but 1 aircraft crashed into the sea.
Total Bomber Command effort for the day: 18 sorties, 11 aircraft (61 percent) lost.
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4 O.T.U. Whitleys dropped leaflets over France without loss.
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. 487 Squadron lost 10 aircraft on this raid.
514 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 3 Group on
