WILHELMSHAVEN
23 Hampdens; the target was cloud-covered and only 1 aircraft claimed to have bombed there; 13 other aircraft bombed estimated position of target. Wilhelmshaven diary has no entry. No losses.
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6 Blenheims on Circus raid to Dunkirk - all bombed - and 6 other Blenheims on cloud-cover raids; 4 of these bombed various targets. No losses.
Operational Statistics,
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(120_ 24-hour periods)
Number of days with operations: 83
Number of nights with operations: 93
Number of daylight sorties: 567, from which 9 aircraft (1.6 percent) were lost
Number of night sorties: 6,030, from which 117 aircraft (1.9 percent) were lost
Total sorties: 6,597, from which 126 aircraft (1.9 percent) were lost
Approximate bomb tonnage in period: 4,350 tons
Averages per 24-hour period: 54.7 sorties, 1.0 aircraft lost, 36.1 tons of bombs dropped
Public Record Office AIR 22/31-49 for the whole wartime years.
'Aircraft' now means a mixed force of Blenheims, Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys.
Aircraft shot down over Britain by German Intruders and those accidentally shot down by British defences are counted as 'lost' in all statistical rsums; the bomber involved was usually destroyed and there were rarely any survivors.
The sea sweeps, which had been such a regular feature of recent Blenheim operations, were now discontinued for the time being, All later Blenheim daylight operations are cloud-cover raids by single aircraft unless otherwise stated.
Vol. 1, pp. 224-5.
Public Record Office AIR 24/200 and AIR 14/2670.
This was the first occasion when one type of aircraft was ope rated by more than one group in a night. From this point diary references to Wellingtons dispatched can mean that Wellingtons from 1 and/or 3 Groups are operating, unless there is need to be more specific. The majority of the Wellington effort continued to be dispatched by 3 Group for many months to come.
The prospect for Bomber Command's future operations now appeared to be more favourable than at any time since the beginning of the war. There was no military action in the West that could distract from the bomber effort. There could be no threat of a German invasion of England until the early summer, and even then only if the Luftwaffe could defeat Fighter Command first. The bombers available and suitable for operations were now more numerous than ever before. The increasing number of experienced crews had not been pressed too hard in recent weeks; many new crews had received a valuable introduction to operations in raids on the easy 'freshman' targets. The German night-fighter defences had still not been reinforced to any dangerous extent and it was hoped that the worst of the winter weather was now over.
On
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HANNOVER
222 aircraft - 112 Wellingtons, 46 Hampdens, 34 Blenheims, 30 Whitleys - to industrial targets in Hannover. 4 aircraft - 2 Wellingtons, 1 Blenheim, 1 Hampden - were lost and 3 more aircraft were shot down in England by German Intruders.
183 aircraft claimed to have bombed their primary targets; 32 aircraft bombed alternative targets. Crews reported good visibility, large explosions and many fires started. No report is available from Hannover.
ROTTERDAM
43 aircraft to oil-storage tanks at Rotterdam. Included in this force were 3 Stirlings, of 7 Squadron, making the first operational flights of this new type of aircraft. There were no losses.
The 119 Wellingtons provided by 3 Group on this night represented the first time a group had dispatched more than 100 aircraft.
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to Rotterdam. To 8 Group in August 1942 and served as a Pathfinder squadron until the end of the war. Equipped with Stirlings from October 1940 to August 1943 and with Lancasters from July 1943 (there was an overlapping of types in July and August 1943). Based at Oakington throughout its operational service.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
3
Group Stirlings - 167 bombing, 11 minelaying
8
Group Stirlings - 82 bombing, 7 minelaying
8
Group Lancasters - 279 bombing
Total - 528 bombing, 18 minelaying = 546 raids
Sorties and Losses
3
Group Stirlings - 918 sorties, 41 aircraft lost (4.5 percent)
8
Group Stirlings - 826 sorties, 37 aircraft lost (4.5 percent)
8
Group Lancasters - 3,316 sorties, 87 aircraft lost (26 percent)
Total - 5,060 sorties, 165 aircraft lost (3.3 percent)
27 Stirlings were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Introduced the Stirling to operational service.
An original Pathfinder squadron.
Introduced (with 35 Squadron) H2S to operations.
Suffered third highest percentage losses in Bomber Command.
Carried out most bombing raids in 8 Group heavy-bomber squadrons.
Suffered highest overall and percentage losses in 8 Group.
Suffered highest percentage losses in Stirling squadrons.
9 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 3 Group from the outbreak of the war to August 1942, with a short detachment to Lossiemouth in April 1940 for service with Coastal Command. In 5 Group from August 1942 to the end of the war. Equipped with Wellingtons in 3 Group and with Lancasters in 5 Group. Based at Honington in 3 Group and at Waddington and Bardney in 5 Group.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
3
Group Wellingtons - 272 bombing, 7 minelaying, 8 leaflet
5
Group Lancasters - 289 bombing, 12 minelaying
Total - 561 bombing, 19 minelaying, 8 leaflet = 588 raids
Sorties and Losses
3
Group Wellingtons - 2,333 sorties, 66 aircraft lost (2.8 percent)
5
Group Lancasters - 3,495 sorties, 111 aircraft lost (3.2 percent)
Total - 5,828 sorties, 177 aircraft lost (3.0 percent)
22 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Continuous service in Bomber Command throughout the war except for the short detachment to Coastal Command in April 1940. Flew operations and sustained casualties on the second day of the war.
Victoria Cross: Flight Sergeant G. Thompson, posthumously, Dortmund-Ems Canal,
