The 12 Sqdn left from Wickenby at 1944-12-13 at 16:18. Loc or duty Essen
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial ND342, code PH-U).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 250 A-20s, A-26s, and B-26s hit a supply dump at Schleiden, plus defended positions in several villages and marshalling yard at Euskirchen; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division, fly night bombing missions, attack targets in the Cologne area, and support the XX Corps in the Dillengen-Saarlautern bridgehead area, and the XII Corps in the Habkirchen-Bliesbruck area along the Blies River.
The 158th Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF, arrives at Nantwich, England from the US with L-1s and L-4s.
Campaign report of the RAF:
12/13 December 1944
Essen: 540 aircraft - 349 Lancasters, 163 Halifaxes, 28 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters lost. This was the last heavy night raid by Bomber Command on Essen. During the post-war interrogations of Albert Speer, Hitler's Armaments Minister, he was asked which forms of attack were most effective in weakening the German war effort. After referring to the effectiveness of daylight raids and to some of the Oboe Mosquito attacks, Speer paid a compliment to the accuracy of this raid on Essen: "The last night attack upon the Krupp works, which was carried out by a large number of 4-engined bombers, caused surprise on account of the accuracy of the bomb pattern. We assumed that this attack was the first large-scale operation based on Oboe or some other new navigational system."
49 Mosquitos to Osnabrück, 43 RCM sorties, 43 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 675 sorties, 6 aircraft (0.9 per cent) lost.
13/14 December 1944
52 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No 5 Group were sent to attack the German cruiser Koln berthed in Oslo Fjord but, when the bombers reached Oslo Fjord, the Koln had moved to another location. Other ships were bombed instead but the results were not observed. No aircraft lost.
10 Lancasters and 9 Halifaxes minelaying in the Kattegat without loss.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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