He flew with a de Havilland Mosquito (type IV, serial DZ593, code XD-).
30 October 1943 (Ninth Air Force): 5 B-26's bomb Cherbourg/Maupertus Airfield in France.
1 November 1943
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): A progress report, assessing results of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO), estimates that 19 important German towns and cities have been virtually destroyed, 19 severely damaged and 9 more effectively damaged. A joint report of the British Ministry of Economic Warfare and Air Ministry lntelligence Branch claims that 10 percent of the total war potential of Germany has been destroyed.
HQ 92d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) is activated at Polebrook, England. HQ 93d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) is activated at Horsham St. Faith, England.
HQ 401st Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Deenethorpe,England from the U.S.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): The Ninth Air Force comes under operational control of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF) which is activated on this date to provide the tactical air force for the invasion of W Europe (Operation OVERLORD).
11 Mosquitos to the Ruhr and 6 Mosquitos to Emden. All targets were bombed but 1 aircraft was lost from its sortie to the Ruhr.
589 aircraft - 344 Lancasters, 233 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitos ordered to Düsseldorf. 18 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes - lost, 3.1 per cent of the force. The main weight of the raid fell in the centre and south of the city with extensive damage both to housing and to industrial premises.
38 Lancaster IIs - Nos 3 and 5 Groups - 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 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 device 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.
52 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of No 8 Group carried out a diversionary raid on Cologne without loss.
Other operations were 13 Oboe Mosquitos to a Krupps foundry at Rheinhausen and 2 Mosquitos to Dortmund, 23 aircraft of No 3 Group minelaying in the Frisians, 27 OTU sorties. 1 OTU 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.
A further Victoria Cross was awarded for an action during the Düsseldorf raid. The Lancaster of Flight Lieutenant William Reid, No 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 LG 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 JW 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 under-carriage collapsed but the landing was otherwise successful. Flight Lieutenant Reid was awarded the Victoria Cross but the Squadron Operations Record Book does not say whether other crew members were decorated.
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