On Sunday 03 January 1943, a member of the 149 Sqdn, Sergeant T Whitelock, took off from an unknown RAF station in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on WW2 History Europe. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at an unknown time . He flew with a Short Stirling (type I, serial R9334, code OJ-G).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force): Sixteen Spitfire Vs of the 4th Fighter Group fly ship protection patrols. VIII Bomber Command Mission 28: The primary target is the St Nazaire U-Boat base in France; this is the first attack on this installation since 23 Nov 42 and the heaviest attack to date against U-Boat bases. The 1st Bombardment Wing dispatches 85 B-17s of the 91st, 303, 305th and 306th Bombardment Groups (Heavy); the 4th Bombardment Wing dispatches 13 B-24s of the 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy); 60 B-17s and eight B-24s hit the target dropping 171 tons of bombs between 1130 and 1140 hours local. Formation (instead of individual) precision bombing is used for the first time by the VIII Bomber Command, and considerable damage is done to the dock area. The mission stats are: We claim 14 enemy aircraft shot down, 18 probably shot down and 4 damaged; we loose seven B-17s, three B-24s are damaged beyond repair, 44 B-17s and three B-24s are damaged. Human casualties are 5 KIA, 29 WIA and 70 MIA.
Campaign report of the RAF:
2/3 January 1943
42 Wellingtons and Lancasters minelaying off Biscay ports.
3 January 1943
11 Bostons to Cherbourg were recalled, 6 Mosquitos attacked railway targets in the Amiens and Tergnier areas. No aircraft lost.
3/4 January 1943
3 Pathfinder Mosquitos and 19 Lancasters of No 5 Group continued the Oboe-marking experimental raids on Essen. 3 Lancasters lost.
45 Wellingtons and Lancasters minelaying off the French and Dutch coasts.
The first operational sorties by the new No 6 (Canadian) Group were flown on this night by Wellingtons of No 427 Squadron taking part in the minelaying operation.
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