Böhlen - Tankanlæg med beskyttelsesmure og i færd med at få monteret sløring.

Böhlen Böhlen, der ligger syd for Leipzig, havde været udsat for to angreb indenfor de sidste uger. Natten mellem den 19. og 20. februar angreb No. 5 Group det syntetiske olieanlæg med 254 Lancasters og 6 Mosquitoes, men angrebet blev en fiasko - til dels fordi Master Bomberen, W/Cdr Benjamin, blev skudt ned af luftværnsskyts under angrebet. Den 2. marts bombede 96 B-17 fra 1st Air Division Böhlen, men heller ikke dette angreb satte anlægget tilstrækkeligt ude af drift. Natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts skulle Böhlen angribes af fly fra No. 5 Group og fra HQ Bomber Command fik No. 5 Group ordre til at stille følgende styrke for angrebet: 53 Base 65+ 54 (106) 15+ (Flare and Marker Force) 55 Base 84+ 56 Base 49+ Omsat til antal fly fra underlagte eskadriller blev følgende antal fly afsendt: No. 44 Squadron 17 Lancasters No. 49 Squadron 19 Lancasters No. 50 Squadron 19 Lancasters No. 57 Squadron 21 Lancasters No. 61 Squadron 18 Lancasters No. 83 Squadron 13 Lancasters No. 97 Squadron 14 Lancasters No. 106 Squadron 14 Lancasters No. 189 Squadron 16 Lancasters No. 207 Squadron 16 Lancasters No. 227 Squadron 16 Lancasters No. 463 Squadron 15 Lancasters No. 467 Squadron 15 Lancasters No. 619 Squadron 19 Lancasters No. 630 Squadron 17 Lancasters No. 627 Squadron 10 Mosquitoes Angrebet skulle gennemføres sideløbende med angrebet på Chemnitz. No. 5 Group opererede ofte som en selvstændig enhed i Bomber Command og angreb andre mål end de øvrige Groups. No. 5 Group indførte følgende i deres dagbog om angrebet på Böhlen: '249 Lancaster and 10 Mosquitoes were detailed, 1 was cancelled, 248 Lancastrers and 10 Mosquitoes took off, 5 returned early, 230 were successful, 16 failed, 2 were outstanding and 5 are missing. There was 10/10ths cloud in layers of varying density from 2000-11000 feet. 1 Red TI was dropped but was quickly engulfed in cloud and Wanganui marking was therefore called for. Aircraft bombed on these flares and several bomb bursts on the plant were reported by crews. there was slight to moderate heavy flak and slight light flak. The smoke screen was in operation and there was some evidense of fighters over the target and several inconclusive combats. Three aircraft attacked Chemnitz and one Leipzig. PRU cover shows extensive damage to the coal drying plant and some additional damage to the briquetting plant which is now severely damaged'. Ovenstående rapport er rigtig nok, men den er lidt udvandet i forhold til, hvordan angrebet i virkeligheden forløb. Angrebsordren indløb til No. 5 Group om formiddagen den 5. marts klokken 10.30 og man havde kun ganske få timer til at klargøre til angrebet på Böhlen, idet starttidspunktet fra flyvepladserne i England var sat til omkring klokken 17.00. Briefing for besætningerne blev holdt klokken 13.30. Kodebetegnelsen for dagens mål var GQ1514A og der var udarbejdet tre markeringspunkter for angrebet: Primary H0520 V0490 Sekundært H0540 V0830 Common Target Point H0635 V0380 H-Hour var sat til klokken 21.50 og angrebet var sat til at vare syv minutter. De forskellige flyvepladser havde ordre til at sprede tidspunktet for bombningen for de enkelte fly, så de dækkede perioden jævnt. Hver Lancaster i hovedstyrken medførte 2.154 gallons brændstof samt en Cookie plus 500 lb sprængbomber af forskellige slags. Stick spacing var sat til 15 yards. Starten fra de forskellige flyvepladser forløb godt og Lancasterne satte kursen ud over Den Engelske Kanal. Ruten til Böhlen var som følger: Hjemmeflyveplads, Reading (punkt A), 50.00'N 02.00'E (punkt B), 50.00'N 05.00'E (punkt C), 50.30'N 07.20'E (punkt D), 50.45'N 09.30'E (punkt E), 51.38'N 11.32'E (punkt F), 51.35N 12.06E (punkt G) og frem til Chemnitz. Efter bombningen skulle No. 5 Group følge nedenstående rute hjem til England: Målområdet, 50.55'N 12.32'E (punkt H), 49.00'N 11.50'E (punkt J), 48.25'N 08.40'E (punkt K), 48.50'N 05.00'E (punkt L), 50.00'N 02.00'E (punkt B), Reading (punkt A) og frem til hjemmeflyvestation. Belært af tyske intrudere et par nætter tidligere havde besætningerne ordre på ikke at tænde deres navigationslys på vejen hjem, før de befandt sig under indflyvning til deres hjemmeflyvepladser. No. 630 Squadron gav en god beskrivelse af flyvningen til og fra Böhlen: 17 aircraft took off between 17.00 and 17.30 hours and set course on time over Base. All aircraft after setting course over Base flew below cloud (between 2/3000 feet) to Reading, climbing when clear of strato cumulus to a height band of 6 to 9000 feet, wasting time South of Reading and rejoining the stream by position B. The low cloud ran out soon after Reading and all aircraft climbed in the clear until reaching the French Coast, when a layer of stratus was cleared at 8000 feet. After position B aircraft made a slow climb to a height band of 9/12000 feet by position D, windowing between 06 degrees East and 08 degrees East as we passed the Ruhr. Persistent con trails were observed from about 08 degrees East onward at about 14000 feet, all running parallel and above our track and from then on frequent combats were observed. 8 aircraft being seen going down in flames between 08º E and 1130º E there being about 10/10ths strato cumulus at 6000 feet this increasing in height as we reached the target area. After position E aircraft climbed to supporting height band of 14000 feet to 15000 feet passing through hazy alto stratus just before position F. A collision was observed at this turning point parts of broken wing seen falling in the reflected glow from the cloud below. On tracking into the target more hazy cloud was experienced this clearing just before the target. the Green Wanganuis Dripping Reds were observed to go down underneath and slightly behind. An orbit was made to Starboard losing height to bombing height of 13/14000 feet. More TI's and flares were observed falling on target through about 9/10th cloud. H Hour was at 21.50 supporting runs H - 10 to H - 7 and our TOT H + 3 to H + 7. Controller seemed satisfied that marking was in Target area, one TI being Bang up against a factory chimney. The centre of Greens were hard to pick as the Germans had dropped two spoof green TI's some distance North and South of Bohlen. Huge Red glows were seen to light up the cloud. After the target and fast let down to 1500 to 2000 feet above ground level was the flight plan but at that height icing was experienced, som crews flying in it, the majority flying over the cloud to about 1300 feet and coming home over the front. Bases were clear for landed and all aircraft returned safely. Average time airborne being 10.20 hours. Selve bombningen af Böhlen var nøje befalet. Klokken H-11 skulle de primære Blind Markers kaste grønne målmarkeringsbomber over Target Point. Faldskærmsblus skulle oplyse målet fra klokken H-9 og genforsynes klokken H-7 og H-4. Herefter skulle Mosquitobesætningerne så hurtigt som muligt efter H-9 markere det primære markeringspunkt med røde målmarkeringsbomber og hvis Master Bomber mente, at de var placeret korrekt, ville disse markeringer blive markeret igen. Hvis Mosquitoerne ikke var i stand til at afmærke det primære målmarkeringspunkt skulle de om muligt kaste deres markering over Target Point Direct. Hvis røg eller skydække skulle umuliggøre visuel udpegning af både primær og Target Point skulle Mosquitoerne markere det sekundære punkt med røde målmarkeringsbomber. Hvis dette heller ikke var muligt ville Master Bomber beordre Mosquitoerne til at supplere de grønne målmarkeringsbomber fra Primary Blind Marker med deres røde TI. Hvis skyer dækkede over målområdet skulle Blind Markers kaste Wanganui faldskærmsblus med røde stjerner. Disse ville kaskade fra 7.000 fods højde og skulle kastes i serier af fem blus. I tilfælde af at dette blev nødvendigt ville Master Bomberne udsende 'Sky, Sky, Sky' over radioen. Hvis tyskerne anvendte falske målmarkeringer ved Böhlen var Lancasterbesætningerne advaret om, at disse af Pathfinderne ville blive afmærket med gule målmarkeringsbomber for at annullere dem. Endelig kunne Mosquitobesætningerne kaste Wanganui Flares Red med grønne stjerner for at markere, at man ønskede flere lysbomber.

Mosquito IV fra No. 627 Squadron, der var den eneste eskadrille i No. 5 Group, som var udrustet med Mosquito. No. 627 Squadron var i marts 1945 udstyret med flere forskellige Mosquito typer (Mk. IV, XVI, XX og XXV).Eskadrillen fløj sit første bombetogt den 24. november 1943, hvor man bombede Berlin. Sidste bombeangreb fandt sted den 25. april 1945, hvor 10 af eskadrillens Mosquitoes blev afsendt mod olieanlægget ved Tonsberg i Norge.

Master Bomberen kunne befale hovedstyrken til at bombe efter følgende instrukser (og i følgende prioriteret orden): a. Attack red TI A-Able, in which case crews are to aim the centre bomb of the stick at the Red TI using the false wind vedtor to be broadcast by this HQ at H-5. b. Attack Red TI B-Baker, in which case crews are to aim the centre bomb of the stick at the Red TI direct using the direct bombing wind to be issued by this Hq at H-5. c. Attack Red TI C-Charlie, in which case crews are to aim the centre bomb of the stick at the Red TI, jusing the direct bombing wind to be broadcast by this HQ at H-5 but delaying release of bombs for 28 seconds and making good a track of 184 degrees true, or as amended by Master Bomber. d. Attack Red and Green TI direct, in which case crews are to aim the centre bomb of the stick at the Red and Green TI direct, using the direct bombing wind to be broadcast by this HQ at H-5. e. Attack Wanganui Green with Red Stars in which case crews are to aim the centre bomb of the stick at the centre Wanganui flare of the stick, using the direct bombing wind to be broadcast by this HQ at H-5. Angrebshøjden for Marker Force var sat til mellem 13.750 til 14.750 fod, medens Supporters (Supporting) var 14.750 til 15.250 fod og Supporters (Bombing) var 13.250 til 13.750 fod. Hovedstyrken var befalet til at angribe fra højder mellem 10.000 til 13.250 fod. Supporterne, der kom fra No. 57 og 630 Squadron, skulle støtte Marker Force i målområdet og efter at have gennemført deres Supporting Run skulle de dreje til højre og tabe højde ned til deres bombehøjde. Supporting skulle gennemføres i tidsrummet mellem klokken H-13 til H-7. Hvis Supporterne var nød til at afvige fra befalet kurs, skulle det gøres ved at dreje til højre. Endvidere skulle Supporterne, for at forhindre kollision med andre fly, befinde sig i under 11.000 fod højde ved position H. Wing Commander Stubbs var Master Bomber under angrebet på Böhlen og han ledede angrebet strålende. Angrebet var tilpasset, så de angribende fly kun skulle opholde sig over Böhlen i kort tid, hvilket gav det tyske luftværnsskyts færre mulighed for nedskydning af de angribende fly.

Angrebet skulle åbnes af ti Mosquitoer fra No. 627 Squadron, der var No. 5 Groups eneste Mosquitoenhed. Angrebet forløb ikke helt som planlagt for eskadrillen, der noterede følgende i sin dagbog: 10 Mosquitos were detailed and 9 took-off on operations against Böhlen. One a/c was cancelled, petrol tank being u/s. 3/3 a/c dropped 10 x 250 lb Yellow TI's. The Breeze leader found a wind 007/47 (3rd class) and passed this to Link II at 21.41 hrs. Flares were on time but no PBM Greens were seen. Marker 2 saw flares when was approx 15 miles beyond the target; reached target by H-5 and marked the M/P. He estimated that his TI fell 200 yards NW of the M/P. the Controller ordered him to leave the target area before he could assess. As skymarking was out to begin, Marker 4 descended to 500 feet, identified Railway and lake to the S of T/S, but the effective smoke screen and cloud prevented further identification. The other Markers could not identify so the controller ordered the Markers to return to base and called for Skymarking. Det var F/Lt F D Armstrong og F/O E G Patterson i Mosquito XVI PF444 (Marker 4), der gik ned i kun 500 fods højde for at identificere målet. Tyskernes røgslør dækkede op til 1.200 fods højde og Mosquitobesætningen kunne ikke se tilstrækkeligt, hvorfor Stubbs beordrede dem ud af området. No. 627 Squadron havde også til opgave af udregne vindhastighed og retning inden bombning af målet og denne opgave tilfaldt F/O Olsen og F/O Chipperfield i Mosquito XXV KB416 (Breeze Leader) og Windfinder 1 og 2, F/O Barnett & F/Sgt J W Day i Mosquito VI ET205 og F/O Nash og F/Sgt Wetherall i Mosquito XXV KB409. Breeze Leader fandt vindhastighed, men kunne ikke få kontakt med Link 1, der skulle videresende oplysningerne og Windfinder 1 og 2 var ikke i stand til at måle vindhastigheden. Breeze Leader fik lidt senere kontakt til Link 2, der modtog meldingen. Marker 5, F/Lt K W L Alford & F/Sgt J Murphy i Mosquito XXV KB90, befandt sig over Böhlen, da Master Bomberen befalede dem til at afbryde missionen. Kun ti minutter senere satte den højre motor ud og blev kantstillet af Alford, der var i stand til at flyve Mosquitoen tilbage til Woodhall Spa, hvor han landede klokken 00.37.

No. 97 og 83 Squadron fungerede som Pathfinders under angrebet på Böhlen. Pathfinderbesætningerne havde problemer med at udpege den nøjagtige position og mange af dem havde flere anflyvninger, før de kastede deres last af målmarkeringsbomber (og dermed forsinkelse af angrebet) eller også opgav de at finde den præsice position. Temmelig mange af besætningerne havde problemer med deres H2S radar. Dette kan muligvis skyldes fugt i anlægget, som der flere gange i foråret 1945 blev rapporteret om. Vi kan kigge lidt nærmere på de enkelte besætningers angreb på Böhlen: De 13 besætninger fra No. 83 Squadron havde følgende opgaver under angrebet: PBM F/Lt Norbury F/Lt Pereira FF1 F/O Tutton F/O Shand F/O Brown F/O Judge FF2 F/O McNeil F/O Astbury F/O Mitchell FF3 F/O Anderson F/Lt Williams EW F/O Cassidy F/Lt Edwards

Ingen besætninger fra No. 83 Squadron gik tabt under angrebet på Böhlen. Eskadrilledagbogen giver følgende melding: Lancaster I PB478 'E' F/Lt C McN Norbury 16.56 - 02.26 2 x TI B25 Green 860/A and 885/2400 ft, 4 x 1000 MC, 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA. 21.40 hours 14.000 feet 225ºT 155 Kts. 21.553 hours, 14.000 feet, 161ºT, 155 Kts. 2 x TI Green 860/A and 885/2400 ft, 4 x 1000 MC and photoflash. 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA. Our own TIs were not seen to burst. Only Green TIs we saw were dropped at about H-8. Flares seemed quite good. At H-1 a very faint glow of one Rede was visible. Wanganuis were concentrated. At approx 21.50½ a large explosion with Red flares. Smoke seen i target area. A very good piece of timing work on the part of the Navigator and Set Operator.

Lancasters fra No. 83 Squadron stillet op til afgang. No. 83 og 97 Squadron var pathfinder eskadriller, der var i fast udlån til No. 5 Group. No. 83 Squadron fløj sit første operative togt under anden verdenskrig den 3. september 1939, hvor man foretog væbnet rekognoscering over Nordsøen. Det var dog først den 20. april 1940, hvor eskadrillen bombede et forud bestemt mål. Målet var Aalborg og angrebet blev udført af to Hampden. Sidste angreb for No. 83 Squadron under anden verdenskrig var bombning af olieanlæg i Tonsberg i Norge. Dette angreb blev udført af ni Lancasters.

Lancaster III PB438 'U' F/Lt R N Pereira 16.55 - 02.37 2 x TI B25 Green 860/A and 885/2400 ft, 4 x 1000 MC, 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA. 22.01 hours 14.000 feet, 130ºT, 155 Kts. 4 x 1000 MC and photoflash. Except for a Green flow which went out immediately at 21.42 hours. No TI or Wanganui was visible a all only a glow from flares. run was made on time but was not satisfactory so we orbitted and our Wanganui run was also unsatisfactory. So we dropped bombs visually. Lancaster III PB341 'J' F/O F Tutton 17.11 - 02.34 12 x CP No. 1 860/B + 2 x Wang G/R MIIA. Unable to identify Leipzig on the box. Unable to drop our load. We saw the Wanganui flares go down, did a reciprocal run to try and pick up Leipzig over these, but no returns at all. Three large explosions seen in target area at approx 21.50 hours. 12 x CP No. 1 860/B + 2 x Wang G/R MIIIA brought back not required. Lancaster III PB452 'W' F/O D W R Shand 17.08 - 02.30 12 x CP No. 1 860/B + 2 x Wang G/R MIIA. Nothing seen but glow of flares. Unable to drop because H2S was unserviceable. Lancaster III PB368 'S' F/O E R Brown 17.13 - 02.35 12 x CP No. 1 860/B + 2 x Wang G/R MIIA. We turned at position 'G' and made run towards the target, but definition on H2S was not good enough to risk releasing our Wanganui flares. We orbited to starboard and made another run in to release our Wanganui flares, but we were unable to be sure of our actual position noting visually that flares were not very concentrated and that the two Wanganui visible by glow through cloud, wee in completely different positions. At H+5 we set course for Base realising that it was not necessary for us to remain. Large explosion seen in target area at 21.57 hours giving orange and yellow flames. All the load brought back, not required. Lancaster III PB697 'L' F/O N G Jodge 17.03 - 02.29 12 x CP No. 1 860/B + 2 x Wang G/R MIIA 21.55½ hours, 13.500 feet, 150ºT, 155 Kts. 2 x Wang G/R flares and flash. We arrived on time at 21.41 hours but Leipzig town did not show up on the box. We were unable to drop our flares. we orbited preparing for Sky method which was ordered at 21.45 hours. Only one Wang seen before ours was released. 2201 hours message from Controller to cease bombing and return to Base. 12 x CP No. 1 860/B not required. Lancaster III ND692 'H' F/O W A McNeil 17.05 - 02.12 14 x CP No. 3 860/C. 21.43½ hours, 14.500 feet, 384ºT, 150 Kts. 16 x CP No 3 860/C and photoflash with 7th flare. Dropped our flares on flares already down. First Green seen to go down at 21.49 hours, well away from flares after leaving target. A dull Red Glow of an explosion seen in target area at 21.53 hours. Lancaster III PB135 'R' F/O D J Astbury 17.03 - 02.17 14 x CP No. 3 860/C. 21.44 hours, 14.600 feet, 286ºT, 155 Kts. 14 x CP No. 3 860/C. No Green TI seen and only a general glow of flares. No Reds seen. Lancaster III PB454 'Q' F/O B A Mitchell 17.10 - 02.04 14 x CP No. 3 860/C. 21.43½ hours, 14.500 feet, 270º, 155 Kts. 14 x CP No. 3 860/C. Only a vague glow of flares seen in cloud. So we dropped on the centre of the glow. After leaving target we heard Controller order Sky at H-5. Lancaster III ND529 'D' F/O A A Anderson 17.14 - 03.02 12 x CP No. 3 860/C + 2 x 1000 MC 53. 21.48 hours, 14.000 feet, 260ºT, 160 Kts. 2 x 1000 MC 533 and photoflash. No ti seen only a glow of flares. At the beginning of our run in we heard Sky Sky Sky so only dropped bombs. 12 x CP No. 3 860/C not required. Lancaster III PB694 'T' F/Lt W R Williams 17.12 - 02.51 12 x CP No. 3 860/C + 2 x 1000 MC 53. 22.00 hours, 14.000 feet, 220ºT, 160 Kts. 2 x 1000 MC 53 and photoflash. No primary Green seen on arrival at target. So we essayed a GPI run for flares, but when in position to drop heard Controller at 21.46 hours say no more flares. So orbitted and came in on a GPI run with a view to dropping on Wanganui Flares, but saw none. Therefore orbitted again and made further run and released on GPI. 12 x CP No. 3 860/C not required. Lancaster III ME423 'C' F/O M J Cassidy 17.18 - 02.18 4 x 1000 MC 53 + 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA 21.49 hours, 14.000 feet, 152ºT, 150 Kts. 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA, 4 x 1000 MC 53 and photoflash. At 21.45 hours ordered by controller to drop Sky Markers. Nothing seen through cloud except glow from flares. Lancaster III PB616 'A' F/Lt W F Edwards 17.19 - 02.28 4 x 1000 MC 53 + 2 x Wang G/R M.IIIA 22.00 hours, 14.000 feet, 156ºT, 155 Kts. x 1000 MC boms and flash. We made our EW run on time H-1 but were not satisfied with responce from box so did not release our flares. We orbited target and came in again at H-10 and made a visual run in last Wanganui to drop our bombs. Large explosion seen in T/A at 22.02 hours. too much cloud for any assessment to be made. 2 x Wang G/R not required.

Besætningerne fra No. 97 Squadron medførte hver fire stk 1000 MC med tidsforsinkelse, to TI Green (B .25's, samt 2 grønne/røde Wanganui Flares. Besætningerne beskrev luftværnsskydningen over Böhlen som 'fairly heavy, og alle eskadrillens fly returnerede selv om det var tæt på for F/O G A Hamilton i Lancaster PB895 'M'. No. 97 Squadrons eskadrilledagbog oplyser desværre ikke noget om de enkelte besætningers specifikke opgaver under markeringen:

Sgt Young og hans besætning foran Lancaster ND746 'N' fra No. 97 Squadron, der den 5. marts 1945 blev fløjet af australieren F/O C Arnot. Denne besætnings beretning om angrebet på Böhlen lyder: 'Target identified visually. Received orders from Controller for Sky marking at approx 21.43 hrs. H2S not satisfactory for dropping bombs blind, so we dropped on the flares already down with a check on H2S. Large explosion seen in target area'.

Lancaster III PB408 'O' F/Lt O P F Taylor 16.56 - 02.24 10/10ths cloud, tops 8/10.000 ft. Target identified on GPI run. As H2S was unsatisfactory we did not drop Green TI or Wanganui flares. Lancaster III ND589 'T' F/O T W J Noom 16.58 - 02.25 10/10ths thick cloud, tops 11/12.000 ft. Target located on H2S. We dropped our Green TI on time on bearing and distance from Leipzig. Glow could be seen through cloud. At 21.45 hrs. Controller ordered Sky method. Marker II was trying to mark the target and was told by Controller to go away before bombs fell. Our Wanganui was first to cascade; we used target which showed satisfactorily on box. Red TI were in the bombsight whilst Wang run was being made; this being checked by our Engineer. At 22.01 hrs message from Controller to cease bombing and return to Base. Wanganui flares appeared to be scattered. Lancaster I PB895 'M' F/O G A Hamilton 16.57 - 02.19 Target seen by flares. At 21.45 Controller ordered Sky and at 21.48 Marker II dropped and asked to assess but failed to assess, and Controller ordered Markers off at 21.49/50 hrs. 1 x 1000 MC hung up over target; jettisoned at 5022N 0047E at 01.02 hrs, 12.000 ft. Our aircraft hit by predicted flak over Stuttgart at 22.53 hrs, 12.000 ft. Several holes. H2S caught fire at 06.00E on way out, so we could not drop our TI's or Wanganui. Dropped bombs visually. Lancaster I NG482 'A' F/Lt D H Shorter 17.09 - 02.07 Target identified by H2S3. Dropped flares on instruments on bearing and distance from Leipzig with GPI check. Quite satisfied. One stick of flares down before ours plus a dummy red (only one candle but left glow on cloud). Emergency attack ordered at 21.45 after Controller had checked with us at 21.43 approx when we replied we could not see any TI at all. Check 2 confirmed 3 mins later. good run against for Wanganui. We were first to release these, 3 or 4 others followed and appeared in approx same position. Lancaster I PB905 'K' F/Lt H Brooker 16.59 - 02.32 Target located on H2S. Dropped flares as briefed. Received Controller's orders for Sky marking at 21.43½ hrs. Orbited but could not identify target sufficiently well against to drop Wanganuis. Large flash of an explosion lasting about 3 secs at 21.52 hrs approx. Green TI seen to drop at 21.29 hrs and appeared to be to the West of the target. Lancaster III PA973 'C' F/O J D Cottman 17.10 - 02.48 Target identified on H2S3. Some other flares seen to go gown in same area just before ours. No Reds or Green TI seen but we heard Mosquitos at 21.43 say that they were orbitting target, which they could not see, but that there were no Greens. We had difficulty in picking up signals on fixed and trailing aerials. Lancaster III PB157 'B' F/Lt W P Ryan 17.01 - 02.38 Target located on H2S3. While orbitting for sky marking run we saw a Red glow beneath cloud. Lancaster III ND495 'U' Lt P J H Addison 17.00 - 02.22 We were to drop visually. Overshot target slightlyt and half a minute late at 21.25½ hrs. Controller ordered Sky marking. Our flares were not needed. Returned to base. Lancaster III PB410 'J' F/O B R C Harrison 17.04 - 02.31 We were running up with bomb doors open and about to release our first flare at 21.44 hrs approx, when Controller called for Sky marking. We retained flares and returned to base. Lancaster III ND746 'N' F/O C Arnot 17.09 - 02.47 Target identified visually. Received orders from Controller for Sky marking at approx 21.43 hrs. H2S not satisfactory for dropping bombs blind, so we dropped on the flares already down with a check on H2S. Large explosion seen in target area. Lancaster I PB881 'L' F/Lt R B Sexton 17.01 - 02.44 Target located on H2S3. At 21.45 hrs while on bombing run we heard Controller's order for Sky marking, so held all flares except one, and then released bombs only as briefed (on instruments). Lancaster III PB700 'H' F/Lt D H Simpson 17.07 - 02.20 Target seen on H2S3 and by glow. We were briefed to drop visually but cloud conditions made this impossible. Our run up saw no flares so made run on instruments and not until half the flares had gone was flight engineer able to see glow of others (ie when directly above them). No Red or Green TI seen at any time, and had no cause to wait for emergency. We were acting as Link 1 but unable to receive Controller. Link 2 was informed that Controller was calling him and later we got through to him; his VHF varied in volume throughout attack, but laer we received all his broadcasts. No winds passed to us on VHF. Lancaster III PB422 'P' F/O A M Dow 17.15 - 02.21 Target identfified on H2S. On our first run up we were attacked by fighter and defensive manoeuvres necessitated a second run, when shortly before we were due to release heavy flak burst near and the picture on screen went blank. We therefore held the Wanganui and only released bombs. The position was estimated by allowing approximate time necessary to reach target after H2S failed. Lancaster III PB521 'Q' F/O G H Coulter 17.14 - 02.08 Target located on H2S. We made a run in to release our Wang flares but were not satisfied with it, so only dropped the bombs. Green TI's were seen to cascade followed by flares, all on time. At H-5 Controller gave Sky method. We were able to catch a glimpse of one or two Greens on the ground, but no assessment was possible. Flares did not give any Ground illumination.

Lancaster fra No. 97 Squadron. Denne eskadrille fløj tidligere Manchesters og gennemførte sit første bombetogt den 8. april 1941, da fire Manchesters 'gæstede' Kiel. I januar 1942 konverterede No. 97 Squadron til Lancasters, som de blev ved med at flyve indtil juli 1946, hvor de konverterede til Lincons. No. 97 Squadron i april 1941 stationeret på RAF Coningsby, men flyttede i marts 1942 til RAF Woodhall Spa. Her forblev de indtil april 1943, hvor eskadrillen blev overflyttet fra No. 5 Group til No. 8 Group og stationeret på RAF Bourn. I april 1944 kom No. 97 Squadron tilbage til No. 5 Group og blev igen flyttet til RAF Coningsby. (IWM)

Adskillige besætninger fra No. 5 Groups hovedstyrke havde problemer i løbet af aftenens angreb på Böhlen. Vejret var et af problemerne, men også det tyske luftforsvar i form af natjagere og luftværnsskyts gav problemer ligesom tekniske vanskeligheder viste sig. Vejrmæssigt var overisningen på vej til og fra målet et problem, men også 10/10 skydækket over målområdet samt vindforhold gav problemer. Vi kan prøve at kigge lidt på de enkelte eskadrillers indsats i løbet af aftenen. No. 44 Squadron på RAF Spilsby afsendte 17 Lancasters, der alle på nær en vendte tilbage. Lancaster III LM654 'L' med australieren F/O J S Peterswald som pilot blev skudt ned i nærheden af Leipzig. Mirakuløst lykkedes det for hele besætningen at springe ud med faldskærm og de blev alle taget til fange af tyskerne. Lancaster LM654 blev formodentlig skudt ned af Oberstleutnant Walter Borchers, der var Geschwaderkommodore for NJG 5. F/O Peterswald var ikke en eneste fra No. 44 Squadron, der blev angrebet af en tysk natjager. Eskadrillekammeraten, F/O T W Craig, var pilot ombord på Lancaster LM625 'H', der medførte en 4.000 HC Minol og otte 500 lb MC bomber med .025 sekunders tidsforsinkelse samt en eneklt 500 lb GP med tolv timers tidsforsinkelse. Han fik tilkendt at have bombet Leipzig som 'last resort' og beretter: At 51.12N 12.20E T/E u/i aircraft attacked from stern on port quarter - took evasive action and continued on track losing height and jettisoned all bombs over Leipzig; fighter broke away at 500 yards. Could not identify target owing to cloud and Controller was heard to give 'Sky, Sky, Sky' approx 30 miles from target owing to sign being very week. DR compass u/s; when in cloud Loran aerial iced up and signals were very weak. One hole in Mid-upper Turret from ice and two holes in pilot's cabin. Pilot knew that after attack and corkscrewing he would be unable to make target and dropped bombs to et away from fighter. Estiamted position 40 miles North of the target, passing due South of Bohlen and resumed track. F/O Craig landede igen på Spilsby klokken 03.19. Hele besætningen overlevede krigen.

Målfoto for Lancaster I NG396 'G' fra No. 44 Squadron, der blev fløjet af F/O B F Boyle. Besætningens rapport lyder: 'Bombing Attack Bohlen. Bomb Load 1 x 4000 HC Minol + 11 x 500 MC TD .025 + 1 x 500 GP TD 6 hrs. Bombed at 21.56 hrs from 12.000 ft 153 degs T at 175 mph. Weather - 9/10ths st cu; tops 12.000 ft. Target identified by faint green glow. Bombed built up area and Wanganui. Three large explosions running up at 21.55 hrs. Marking late; first Controller's orders came oer at 21.52 hrs. Controller could not see reds dropped so he ordered Main Force "Sky, Sky, Sky" Red TI's did not appear to be on the target, slightly west of aiming point. Weather 9/10 - 10/10ths at target - as usual'.

No. 49 Squadron på RAF Fulbeck afsendte 19 Lancasters, der alle bombede Böhlen. Besætningerne mente, at det var et godt gennemført angreb og rapporterede om op til tre store eksplosioner nogle minutter før klokken 22.00. Alle flyene vendte tilbage fra nattens togt. Ikke helt så heldig var No. 50 Squadron på RAF Skellingthorpe. Eskadrillen afsendte 19 Lancasters, men mistede Lancaster I NF918 'N', der blev skudt ned af en tysk natjager, hvorved F/O D N King og hele hans besætning blev dræbt. Besætningen blev i første omgang begravet ved nedstyrtningsstedet, men er senere blevet overflyttet til Dürnbach War Cemetary i Bayern. Adskillige piloter i No. 50 Squadron havde problemer under nattens togt. F/O D A R Day var pilot ombord på Lancaster I PD339, der blev ramt af tungt luftværnsskyts over Karlsruhe på turen tilbage. Flyet blev kun lettere beskadiget og Day landede uden besvær igen klokken 03.04. Adskillige besætninger havde problemer med overisning og F/Lt W G Drinkell ombord i Lancaster I LM296 fra No. 50 Squadron var en af dem: 'Primary target attacked at 2157 hours from 10.500 ft. 9/10ths cloud at 8.000 ft. Target identified by Green Wanganui flares and Red TI's. bombed MPI of Green Wanganui flares. Two big explosions at 2155 hours and 2156 hours. Through gaps plenty of smoke seen in target area. Icing in cloud on way back with a lot of static. Guns in rear turret frozen all way back. The 'gen' on the VHF was muddles by various bodies interrupting the controllers transmissions. Encountered heavy static and moderate icing on route back from position 'H'. Squadron Leader W C Blair fra samme enhed havde omend endnu flere problemer på grund af vejret. Blair var pilot ombord på Lancaster III ME441, der var startet klokken 17.15: Primary target attacked at 2200 hours from 12.000 ft. 10/10th cloud at 11.200' radius cloud over target 15/16.000'. Target identified by Wanganui falres. bombed Red glow of bombing. Very large explosion seen at 2200 hours. Severe icing encountered after leaving target at 2207 hours. I consider that the MB did not decide early enough which type of attack to make. After ordering (skyd 3) the marker No. I marked the target with a Red and was about to try and assess it while the first 'kites' were about to bomb. I could not see the sky marking and so orbited on the second, bombed the glow of fires, the sky marker still not being visible. I bombed at 12.000' my briefed height of 11000' being in cloud. After leaving target area stepping down as briefed I encountered severe icing which affected the carb in the PO engine and so I climbed to above the SC 11.500'. I then encountered more icing cloud and eventually at approx the front line I had to climb to 15000' to clear all cloud, not being able to find a lane below. As the cloud condigtions at the target were 10/10ths SC I did not wait for my camera to click over. Loran. Sortie completed. Landed 03.21. F/O Campbell, også fra No. 50 Squadron, roste Master Bomberen for hans indsats og mente at han var 'quite good', men bemærkede også at målmarkeringen var for sent udført.

Lancaster I SW268 fra No. 50 Squadron, der blev fløjet af F/O F D Jones. Rapporten lyder: Primary target attacked at 2158 hours from 8.000 ft. 7-8/10ths cloud at 5.000 ft, layer 10/11.000 ft. Target identified by Wanganui flares Green with Red and visually. Bombed visually through gap. Some small scattered fires in target area. Attack hindered by controllers communications to his deputies being poor. Cloud conditions were difficult but from 8.000 ft it was possible to identify the target visually. Loran N/T Filled. FB. Sortie completed.

No. 57 Squadron på RAF East Kirkby afsendte 21 Lancasters, hvoraf den ene vendte om før tid på grund af at intercom'en var defekt. De øvrige bombede Böhlen. F/Lt L Mersh var pilot ombord på Lancaster III LM673 'U', der blev angrebet af en tysk natjager. Det lykkedes for Mersh at undslippe natjageren og Lancasterens skytter gjorde krav på at have beskadiget en Ju 88. Leonard Thomas Alfred Mersh fik tildelt et DFC for hans indsats den 26. oktober 1945. Mersh meldte sig som 18 årig til RAF volunteer Reserve og blev uddannet som pilot først i England og siden i Canada. Han gennemførte sin tour ved No. 57 Squadron og blev ved krigens afslutning i Europa overflyttet til No. 31 Squadron, der var en transporteskadrille i Fjernøsten. I 1948 fløj Mersh som en del af luftbroen til Berlin og det var formodentlig her, at han blev smittet med TB, som satte en stopper for hans liv som pilot. No. 57 Squadron mistede en enkelt Lancaster under nattens togt. Det var Lancaster I NG410 'G', der blev fløjet af australieren F/O D Dimond, der bombede Böhlen, men under returflyvningen fik brændstofmangel og mavelandede Lancasteren klokken 03.33 ved Nuneaton i Warwickshire. Lancasteren var totalt ødelagt, men kun to besætningsmedlemmer kom noget til. Det var Dimond, der fik et sår over det ene øje og flyvemekanikeren, Sgt Shorey, der fik mindre skader på det ene ben, hvilket var ualmindelig heldigt sluppent.

Lancaster fra No. 57 Squadron i færd med at blive serviceret. No. 57 Squadron fløj ved krigens start Blenheims, men konverterede til Wellingtons i november 1940. I september 1942 blev eskadrillen udrustet med Lancasters samtidig med at enheden forlagde fra RAF Feltwell til RAF Scampton. I august 1943 rykkede No. 57 Squadron til RAF East Kirkby og forblev her indtil november 1945, hvor enheden blev nedlagt. No. 57 Squadron blev dog oprettet igen den efterfølgende dag med besætninger fra No. 57 og 103 Squadron. No. 57 Squadron fløj 4037 togter i løbet af krigen under hvilke man mistede 108 fly (2.7%).

No. 61 Squadron på RAF Skellingthorpe afsendte 18 Lancasters, hvoraf de 15 bombede Böhlen. De tre sidste besætninger bombede i stedet for Chemnitz, idet de ikke kunne se målområdet i Böhlen. Alle flyene returnere til England. Den overvejende del af besætningerne fra No. 61 Squadron var af den opfattelse, at nattens angreb ikke havde været særlig succesfuld, hvilket er i modsætning til hovedparten af de angribende eskadriller. To fly fra No. 61 Squadron blev beskadiget af luftværnsskyts. Det ene var Lancaster II ME430, som blev fløjet af F/O Friend. Besætningen bombede Böhlen klokken 22.00 fra en højde af 13.500 og under angrebet blev flyet ramt i inderste højre motor samt venstre vinge, men det lykkedes Friend at flyve tilbage og lande på Skellingthorpe klokken 02.57. Det andet fly var Lancaster I PB727, som blev fløjet af F/Lt Davies. Denne Lancaster blev beskadiget af en luftværnsgranat, der detonerede ovenover flyet og hvis granatsplinter ramte forreste tårn og ødelagde Lancasterens automatpilot (George). Davies var i stand til at returnere og lande klokken 02.34. No. 106 Squadron på RAF Metheringham afsende 14 Lancasters hvoraf de 13 bombede og en (Lancaster ND333) vendte om kort efter start på grund af en lækkende brændstofledning i nummer to motor. Alle flyene returnerede selv om besætningerne rapporterede om moderat, men nøjagtig luftværnsskydning over målområdet. No. 189 Squadron på RAF Bardney afsendte 16 Lancasters, der alle bombede og returnerede til England. Der var delte meninger i eskadrillen om, hvor effektivt angrebet havde været, men flere besætninger rapporterede om kraftige brande og store eksplosioner i målområdet. En stor del af besætningerne rapporterede om problemer med overisning på turen hjem. F/O G A Riccioti, der var pilot ombord på Lancaster I PB743 havde en del problemer med hans navigationsudstyr: Bohlen. 2157 hours. 11600 feet. RT Compass went u/s after reaching the coast of France going out. This also put API u/s. After leaving target both Gee and Loran went u/s, cause unknown, but Gee caught fire. Marking good and fires were open. Considered successsful sortie. Lancaster PB743 landede igen klokken 03.04. Problemerne skyldtes kortslutning i det elektriske system - muligvis på grund af islag. Det var ikke en god nat for No. 207 Squadron på RAF Spilsby, der afsendte 16 Lancasters mod Böhlen. De fleste besætninger havde problemer med vejret og var heller ikke tilfredse med markeringen af målområdet. Den 22 årige australier F/O Raymond Allan Lewis var en af disse. Han var pilot ombord på Lancaster I PB764, der var startet klokken 17.20: 10/10ths cloud. Target identified by Wanganui flares. Bombed at 21.58 hrs 13.000' heading 165ºT IAS 160 mph. One Wanganui flare. Some sky markers seen on run in, also glow below clouds. On arrival only 2 Wanganuis left and bombed on the one nearest the glow below cloud. Wanganui attack ordered by Controller. More cloud than expected. Marking not up to standard. F/O Lewis og hans besætning havde ikke lang tid at leve i. De forsvandt under et angreb på Böhlen natten mellem den 20. og 21. marts og man har aldrig fundet rester af besætningen. De fløj denne nat Lancaster PA196 'D'. Eskadrillekammeraten, F/Lt D C Simmons, var pilot ombord på Lancaster I PD220 og medførte en 4000 HC Minol samt 12 stk 500 lb sprængbomber, hvoraf den ene havde tolv timers tidsforsinkelse. Hans rapport, der tydeligt afspejler hans humør efter en hård tur, lyder: Target identified by RTI and Wanganuis. bombed at 22.01 hrs from 11.000 ft heading 210º (T) IAS 160 mph. RTI. No fires only bomb explosions. Controlling poor. Ordered on VHF to bomb Sky, Sky, Sky, but Wanganui flares seen at time of bombing only 2 Wanganuis seen gone out before bombing. RAE Compressor u/s used S. Head only for bombing. Weather not as forecast, impossible to get below 11.000' on leaving target, stayed in cloud tops 11-12.000 ft. Loran was not effective and we overshot positon G arrived late at target and to port of track. Identified target by Wanganui flares, but during run up these disappeared in cloud. We therefore bombed a visible red n the ground direct. No. 207 Squadron mistede to Lancasters i løbet af natten. Den ene var Lancaster I NG230 'F', der blev fløjet af australieren F/O W S De Garia, som forsvandt uden spor. Det andet fly var Lancaster III ME386 'G', som blev fløjet af F/O A H Wakeling. Denne besætning gennemførte bombningen af Böhlen, men under hjemkomsten til England faldt flyet i floden Witham ved Boston, hvorved fire besætningsmedlemmer, herunder piloten, blev dræbt. Også No. 227 Squadron havde en hård tur. Eskadrillen afsendte 16 Lancasters, hvoraf en afbrød togtet umiddelbart efter at man havde krydset frontlinien. Det drejede sig om Lancaster PB641, der med en start klokken 18.04 var startet mere end en halv time efter den øvrige del af eskadrillen. F/O A Gillegin forsøgte at indhente de andre, men han var 14 minutter forsinket, da man nåede den tyske grænse og besluttede sig til at vende om. 4.000 HC Minol bomben blev bragt med tilbage, men lasten af elleve 500 lb MC bomber blev klokken 20.48 kastet over fjendtligt territorium på position 50.33'N 07.40'E.

Målfoto for Lancaster I PA183 'B' fra No. 207 Squadron på RAF Spilsby, der blev fløjet af F/O R M Anderson. Besætningens rapport lyder: 'Bohlen. bomb load 1 x 4000 HC Minol + 12 x 500 MC TD- 025. Target identified by Wanganui flares. Bombed at 21.57 from 9.500' heading 182º IAS 155 mph. MPI of reds cascading green covering large area. Large explosions from what appeared to be petrol tank followed by flames and large amount of black smoke - seen through gap in cloud. Target recognised visually. Had to orbit target owing to delay in marking. Markers tried to put down Red TI's but not successful and Wanganui put down at 21.56 hrs. controller ordered sky, sky, sky, but flares didn't go down for about 2 mins'.

Heller ikke F/Lt M R Croker i Lancaster I NN802 'K' bombede Böhlen. Han kom i luften klokken 17.22 og turen gik fint, indtil man nåede 51.24'N 12.19'E, hvor man blev angrebet af en Ju 88, der beskadigede yderste venstre motor samt venstre main plane, Lancasterens krop og agterskyttens tårn. Derudover blev den ene radio skudt itu. F/Lt Croker gik ind i en proptrækkermanøvre til venstre og var i stand til at dykke ned i et underliggende skydække, hvor man undslap natjageren. Et radioopkald klokken 21.01 til Controlleren medførte, at Croker fik ordre på at returnere til Strubby. På vej hjem kastede man klokken 22.09 fra en højde af 10.000 fod bombelasten live på position 50.50'N 12.45'E. Croker landede igen på Strubby klokken 03.39. Desværre var ikke alle No. 227 Squadrons besætninger lige så heldige som Croker. F/Lt G A Quaker var pilot ombord på Lancaster I PB644 'R', der blev ramt af luftværnsskytset ved Böhlen. Den otte mand store besætning sprang ud med faldskærm. Lancasteren medførte et ekstra besætningsmedlem, nemlig den 22 årige australier F/O W N R Pearce, der fløj som andenpilot for at få operativ erfaring. William Norman Roy Pearce landede i et højt træ og da han åbnede sit seletøj for at komme ned, faldt han til jorden og blev dræbt. Seks af de andre besætningsmedlemmer blev kvæstede ved udspringet af befandt sig på tysk hospital indtil krigens slutning. Flyets pilot, McQuaker, der var på sit 30. togt, endte i Stalag Luft 13D/7A.

På RAF Waddington lå No. 463 og 467 Squadron, der begge afsendte 15 Lancasters for at bombe Böhlen. Førstnævnte eskadrille havde alvorlige problemer med vejret og forholdene i målområdet. Lancaster I RA542 havde F/O A Cox som pilot og kom i luften klokken 17.32, hvorefter Cox satte kursen mod Böhlen. Klokken 23.26 kastede han sin 4.000 HC Minol over positon 4831N 0903E for at lette flyet, der var langt bagefter flyveplanen. Da man ikke kunne nå frem i tide vendte Cox om og landede igen på Waddington klokken 03.06 med sine tolv 500 lb ANM 64 sprængbomber stadigvæk om bord. På grund af overisning fløj Cox tilbage i 11.000 fods højde i stedet for de befalede 6.000 fod. Vejret gav også andre besætninger i No. 463 Squadron problemer. Besætningen ombord på Lancaster III PB264 afgav følgende melding ved hjemkomsten til England: 10/10ths strata cu, tops 14.000 feet. 1 x 4000 HC (Minol) + 10 x 500 ANM 64 (DT). Jettisoned 10 x 500 ANM 64 at position 4825N 0318E at 23.30 hrs from 8.000 ft. Severe icing prevented ganing altitude. 1 x 4000 HC (Minol) brought back to base. Controller intructions received on R/T and W/T in target area to abandon mission. W/T signals received at 22.01 hrs. Arrived at target at 21.56 hrs, orbited until 22.01 and as there were no TI's or sky marking visible of any description so decided not to waste bombs and brought them back. Unfortunately ice forced us to jettison. F/O Hourigan og hans besætning ombord på Lancaster I NG194 fik ikke tilgodeskrevet deres flyvning som en gennemført operativ flyvning. Deres rapport lyder: 1 x 4000 HC (Minol) IN 14 x 500 ANM 64 (DT). Jettisoned full load at 5239N 0275E at 20.04½ hrs at 5.000 ft (safe). Thee was flustuating revs /2400-2650) on reaching approx centre of English channel, the boost fell off to 30 lbs square inch. Prior to fall off in boost thee sas black puffs of smoke coming from starboard inner engine. From the above mentionned position altered course to jettie area in North Sea and jettisoned all bombs. They were dropped safe but all bombs exploded. 6 x 500 + x 4000 was selected originally but all dropped except 1 x 500 which we then jettisoned. We headed for the Wash reducing height to 3.000 feet and returned to base.

På RAF Waddington lå de to australske bombeeskadriller No. 463 og 467 Squadron, der tilsammen afsendte 30 Lancasters den 5. marts 1945. På billedet ses Lancastrer LM130 fra No. 463 Squadron, der den 11. marts 1945 stødte sammen med Hurricane PZ740 fra 1690 BDTF. Begge besætninger blev dræbt ved sammenstødet og det efterfølgende styrt.

Hvis der var nogen, der var heldige, så var det den næste besætning. Lancaster NG401 'G' fra No. 463 Squadron blev fløjet af F/O A G Belford, som landede på Juvincourt efter, at flyet var blevet kraftigt beskadiget af en luftværnsgranat. Den øvrige besætning bestod af F/Sgt D O Wheeler (navigatør), Sgt H F Burchett (F/Engineer), F/Sgt J D Polkinhorn (bombekaster), F/Sgt E G Jewitt (radiooperatør), F/Sgt T R Shipperd (rygskytte) samt F/Sgt D W Jobson (agterskytte). Besætningen var overordenlig heldige, at de overlevede natten. No. 5 Group udarbejdede en udførlig rapport om besætningens hændelser i løbet af natten: F/O Belford and crew of 463/G were manoeuvering to get on their bombing run on the night of 5/6th March, 1945 during an intended attack on Bohlen, when the aircraft received a direct hit by heavy flak in the starboard wing in the region of No. 3 starboard tank. The Mid Upper Gunner received injuries and also the R/Gunner and are both now in the USA (AGH) Hospital 242 Soisson. The aircraft successfully forced landed at Juvincourt. When hit by flak the aircraft was within three miles of the target at 2200 hours at 12000 feet in 8/10ths cloud. After landing it was found that the heavy flak had eliminated everything from the starboard outer end of outboard flaps, to outer hinge of the starboard aileron, including top and bottom skin of No. 3 starboard tank which was hanging out on the fuel line, and the starboard aileron was trailing in the slip stream. Rear spar webb on the starboard wing was badly damaged and top boom completely severed; bottom boom holding, although badly damaged. Thee was a hole 15" x 8" near the M/U/Gunner and both fins and fuselage aft of starboard wing were peppered. 463/G had Anti Fighter Window on board and as instructed was dropping this out at the time of being hit by flak. This aircraft had a quantity of anti flak windows on board to be used whenever necessary on route. In view of the damage received by this aircraft by heavy flak, and the fact that it was flown 590 miles in this condition, it is considered that the following statement by the pilot (F/O Belford) is self explanatory. He states: Immediately after being hit, aircraft rolled over to starboard and the ailerons lacked, with full port aileron, I then used left rudder to level the wings and aircraft lost 1500 feet in doing so. Aircraft continued to lose height, so bombs were jettisoned approximately 6 miles west of Bohlen 2201 hours 12000 feet. All this happened within 30 seconds. Immediately after being hit gave instructions for VHF to be turned off, and gave orders for crew 'prepare to abandon aircraft and put on parachutes'. All members of crew acknowledged. After the bombs had gone the aircraft was controlled by rudder and elevator and with 10 degrees of flap; Navigator gave course for position 'J' (4900N 1150E). Then on this course it was found that the aircraft could be trimmed to fly reasonably well, with 2400 revs - 4 boost, at a height of 10000 feet 130 IAS was attained. It was decided to fly to Alsace and bale out, when the Mid Upper Gunner notified me that he had been hit by flak. The W/Op administered first aid and morphin and placed M/U/Gunner in W/Ops seat. R/Gunner then notified that he had been hit in the left eye, W/Op then attended to his and although the R/Gunner was seriously hurt he insisted on going back to his rear turret and remaining at his post. Navigator was navigating on DR, the API being u/s. both fixed aerials were severed by the flak and the Loran was jammed. Height was maintained between 9/10.000 feet mainly in cloud, icing attimes being so severe that it brought us down from 10.000 ft to 9.000 ft. When we arrived at Alsace, owing to the state of the gunners, and petrol supply being plentiful, I decided to make for Juvincourt. On arrival at position 'K' (4825N 0840E) aleration on course by DR was made for Juvincourt. Aircraft descended through the warm front to the safety height of 4.000 ft, I was then 40 miles from Juvincourt. Over Juvincourt at 3.000 ft nothing was visible, our VHF and TR1196 aerials were severed, and the W/Operator attempted to get message through on Marconi; this was unsuccessful, he then endeavoured to put the TR1196 through the trailing aerial. This ws still hopeless, so descended to 1500 ft and still nothing was visible, and so let down to 700 ft below cloud when the Sandra lights of Juvincourt came into view. We set course for the 'drome fring Red vereys. Juvincourt replied with variable colours of vereys. An attempt was then mad eto land and having no aileron control, found it impossible to overshoot at 100 ft. Crew were at their crash positions braced in readiness. It was then necessary to do another circuit at 500 ft and put undercarriage down at 300 ft, but drifted off runway. Attempted to get on runway with right rudder which put right wing down, all with no avail and had to put on port rudder to pick up right wing. Not having sufficient height aircraft struck the ground having a 10 gegrees slip to starboard. The starboard wing tip and wheel simultaneously hit the ground, wiping off the starboard wheel. Members of the crew had been instructed to brace theimselves for crash. The aircraft travelled in the direction of landing, coming to rest in a partially filled bomb crater, this wiped off the port wheel which folded underneath aircraft between the fuselage and port inner nacelle. The aircraft finshed up 120 degrees direction of approach. No member of the crew was injured during the crash. Smell of petrol but no fire! The ortodox crash landing position were not used correctly by all members of the crew concered. Both the navigator and engineer insisted on staying at their respective normal crew stations where they consideed they would be of greater assistance to the pilot in helping him land the aircraft. Wireless Operator - Correct crash position Air Bomber - Seated on floor to starboard, facing aft. Back to flapjack - feet braced. Mid Upper Gunner - Seated on floor centrally, back to rear spar, feet braced against flapjacks. Rear Gunner - Seated on floor, port, facing aft, back against H2S shelves. 2nd Pilot - Seated on floor to port in rest bed compartment whole of back to bulkhead door. Feet braced. It will be observed that the Air Bomber did not adhere to his correct crash position, but relinquished it to give added protection to the wounded Mid Upper gunner. The Rear Gunner who was also badly wounded in the face, took up a position closest to the nearest intercom plug, in order that he could hear the Captain's orders and sat adcordingly, unaided. the intercom plug above the rest bed had been rendered u/s so it left only the Rear Gunner in contact with the Pilot. It is stricly recommended that as a result of the above incident, a further one or two additional intercom positions be fitted to the aircraft, presumably on the starboard side opposite the H2S shelves, so that in the event of any single intercom failure, the crew will be afforded the opportunity of using another plug, thus keeping in touch with the Pilot's orders. In view of the circumstances it is felt that the crew acted aptly when ordered to crash positions, consisting all the times the safety and comfort of the wounded gunners. F/O Belford had done 23 Operational trips. The Squadron Instructors assessed F/O Belford on his twentieth sortie check as a Cat 'A' pilot and Captain which means above average.

Det var ikke kun amerikanerne, der havde fantasifulde tegninger på deres fly. Australierne var ganske godt med og førte en indædt kamp mod ældre britiske officerer, der forsøg- te at forhindre 'ikke reglementerede til- tag'. På billedes ses N-Nuts fra No. 467 Squadron fotografe- ret i december 1944. (AWM)

Af No. 467 Squadrons femten afsendte Lancasters bombede de fire ikke Böhlen. Lancaster Me487 (F/O R G Hunter) ankom til Böhlen klokken 21.51 og så ingen markering ved ankomsten. Han overskød målet ved første anflyvning og skønnede, at han ikke ville kunne nå tilbage i tide, hvorfor han klokken 22.03 kastede hans 4.000 HC, men bragte hans ni 500 lb sprængbomber med tilbage. På vej tilbage til England satte hans inderste højre motor ud og blev kantstillet. Også F/O I F Lillecrapp i Lancaster I PB754 ankom til Böhlen i tide og ved ankomsten så han to røde målmarkeringsbomber. Han havde ikke modtaget ordre om at bombe og foretog et orbit under hvilken han så to Wanganui lysbomber, men under hans anden anflyvning af målet var disse allerede gået ud og han modtog i stedet for Master Bomberens generelle ordre om at stoppe bombningen. Besætningen kastede deres 4.000 HC klokken 22.51 på position 48.51'N 10.53'E, da Lancasteren begyndte at blive generet af islag. Deres ti 500 lbs sprængbomber blev bragt med tilbage til Waddington. Heller ikke F/O G I Robinson i Lancaster I ME432 bombede Böhlen. Denne besætning havde samme oplevelse om besætningen ombord på PB754. De kastede klokken 22.40 deres 4.000 lb HC Minol fra 12.000 fods over position 48.40'N 11.00'E, men bragte de øvrige bomber med tilbage. Ingen bombebesætning brød sig om at lande med en 4.000 lb HC bombe med øjeblikstænding, hvorfor det var almindeligt, at man kastede disse før landing. F/O W K Boxsell i Lancaster I PA187 var startet fra Waddington klokken 17.24 og landede igen samme sted klokken 03.44. Hans rapport for angrebet på Böhlen lyder: Sortie completed. No target attacked. 10/10ths layered cloud, tops 10/11000 ft. Vis between layers good. Reached vicinity of target at 2153 but as VHF was u/s received no directions from Controller. Over W/T we got message (before reaching target) 'Sky, sky, sky'. We did not however see any Wanganui flares in estimated posn of target, but saw underneath cloud, glow of what we thought illuminating flares. Moreover as we passed over target we did not see any other aircraft bombing. At approx H+4 when we were on far egde of glow, bombing was started by other aircraft. I decided that as orbits were to stbd and we were on port side of stream that it was by this time too late to attempt another run on target. We therefore set course for Base losing height in accordance with flight plan. On homeward route a suitable target was looked for on which to drop our bombs, but cloud conditions precluded this. In view of bad weather forecast for later legs of route, I decided to jettison bombs over enemy territory. 1 x 4000 lb HC Minol jettisoned live at 4957N 1225E from 8000 at 2215. 14 x 500 lb MC DT jettisoned live at 4826N 0834E from 7000 at 2327.

Målfoto for Lancaster I PB425 'T' fra No. 619 Squadron, der blev fløjet af austra-lieren F/O J M Grant. Besætningen obser- verede adsillige store eksplosioner i målom- rådet og så også på et tidspunkt en stor olietank, som brød i brand. Det er for- modentlig denne, som ses på billedet.

No. 619 Squadron på RAF Strubby afsendte 19 Lancasters, hvoraf en (F/Lt Johnston i Lancaster LM649) på grund af tekniske vanskeligheder vendte om uden at bombe. Lancaster I RA521 'D' (F/Lt L W O'Brien) samt Lancaster I NG503 'W' (F/O H A Camps) blev begge lettere beskadiget af luftværnsskytset ved Böhlen, men begge piloter var i stand til at bringe deres fly tilbage til England. Overisningen gav også skader på flyene og fire Lancasters fik hul i deres perspex på grund af is der blev løsnet fra propellerne. De 16 afsendte Lancasters fra No. 630 Squadrons på RAF East Kirkby medførte H2S radar, API og Fishpond. Bombelasten for hver Lancaster bestod af en 4000 HC, en 500 MC samt elleve 500 ANM 64 (undtagen tre fly, der havde en anden sammensætning af 500 lb sprængbomber). For selve bombningen lød eskadrillens beretning: Weather 9/10 to 10/10 tops about 10.000 feet with another layer above between 12000/14000 feet. Sky markers were all that could be seen for the most part, and they were frequently in cloud and not too clearly seen. Most crews bombed the sky markers but a few claim to have seen a Red TI on the ground through slight breaks. Three crews report that this TI was on the factory and that bombs were bursting amongst the buildings, one large oil tank being on fire. Several heavy explosions were seen, one large one being at 21.53. There was moderate heavy flak at the target. Considerable fighter activity was seen on the outward journey and at the target, but none on the homeward journey. First combats were seen shortly after 0800E. On the outward journey persist con trails were seen above 14000 feet homeward all crews report moderate icing in cloud between 6000/12000 feet. Det var vigtigt for Bomber Command at sætte Böhlen ud af spillet og selv om de formodede, at Böhlen var blevet beskadiget under nattens angreb, var man allerede i gang med at planlægge det næste angreb, der skulle gennemføres i løbet af et par uger, når nattens skader var reparerede. Bomber Command sammenfattede angrebet på Böhlen natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945 således:

Detailed: 249 Lancs and 10 Mos Took off: 248 Lancs and 10 Mos Successful 'A': 216 Lancs and 10 Mos (only one of these required to mark). Abortive: 21 Lancs Last resort: 4 Lancs Missing: 5 Lancs (50/N, 44/L, 207/L, F and 227/H, carrying 3 x 4.000 M1 Minol, 2 x 4.000 HC Trit, 30 x 500 MC, 25 x 500 ANM 64 and 2 x 500 GP LD). Bohlen: 216 Lancs dropped 163 x 4.000 MC Minol, 13 x 4.000 MC, 16 x 4.000 MC Trit, 888 x 500 ANM 64, 936 x 500 MC, 74 x 500 GP, 29 x 500 MC LD, 11 x 500 GP LD, 229 x 500 MC Minol, 4 x 1.000 LB TI Green, 14 Wanganui flares, 50 OP No 3 Flares, 96 OP No 1 Flares and 43 x 1.000 MC 1/2 HR delay, and the Mos dropped 1 x 1.000 LB TI Red. 10/10th cloud in layers of varying density from 2.000 - 11.000 ft. 1 Red TI was dropped but was quickly engulfed in cloud. Wanganui marking was therefore called for. Aircraft bombed on these flares. the glow of fires beneath the flares is reported by many crews and numerous explosions between 2152 and 2159 hrs. No other results observed. Slight to moderate heavy flak was encountered and slight light flak. Some evidence of fighter over target is reported and there were several inconclusive combats. The smoke screen was in operation. TOT: 2139 - 2203 with two aircraft at 2207 and 2210 hrs. Heights: 8.000 - 13.500 ft Mos TOT: 2149 1500 - 800 ft. Last resort: Chemnitz - 3 aircraft dropped 3 x 4.000 MC Minol, 8 x 500 MC Minol, 18 x 500 ANM 642 2158, 2159 and 2201 from 9-10.000 ft. They were unable to identify Bohlen plant. Leipzig - 1 aircraft dropped 1 x 4.000 Minol, 9 x 500 and 1 x 500 GP LD at 2157 hrs from 10.000 ft. Was involved in a combat with an u/i e/a over Bohlen and strayed off course. Outstanding: 463/C landed at Juvincourt. 57/G crash landed at Nuneaton - crew uninjured.

Böhlen blev fotograferet den 7. marts og fototyderne anslog, at anlægget var sat ude af drift i en til to uger. Activity the only sign of activity in the plant is some smoke coming from one chimney of the boiler house. the synthetic oil plant, the LTC plant and also the new works are all inactive. Four engines are seen in steam on sidings in or near the plant. State of Plant There is considerable damage to the LTC complex, particularly to the briquetting plant and to the brown coal crushing plant. This last, and damage to conveyers etc is likely to prevent operations in this plant for about a month, although half of the brown coal drying plant and the greater part of the retort houses are apparently intact. Scattered damage is seen in the synthetic oil plant. Part of the roof of the blower house serving the Winkler generators has been removed & although the ectent of the internal damage cannot be assessed this is probably sufficient to prevent the plant from working, for a least one to two weeks. The sulphur removal plant has suffered some damage, but could probably be repaired sufficiently for partial operation with two weeks. A pipe bridge south of the sulphur removal plant is cut, but apart from this the main pipe connections appear to be intact. Both the main compressor house and the injector house have suffered some damage, but about three quarters of both buildings are probably useable. Conclusions The plant has suffered some damage and this is likely to prevent any synthetic oil production for one to two weeks. Production will probably be limited to 50 - 75 % of normal for a moth after operations are resumed. Damage to the LTC plant will not necessarily affect the synthetic oil plant, since tar for the hydrogenation process could probably be imported form other plants in the neighbourhood.

Det sønderbombede syntetiske olieanlæg ved Böhlen. Selv om anlægget ser ud til at være ødelagt, var det nødvendigt for de allierede at bombe olieanlæggene med jævne mellemrum, idet tyskerne var mestre i at udbedre skaderne og samtidig få anlæggene til at se ud, som om de var ude af drift.

Endnu en fototyderrapport blev udfærdiget på baggrund af billederne fra den 7. marts: Locality: Bohlen Synthetic Oil Plant Period Covered: Between 1410 A hours on 17 DEC 1944 and 1145 A hours on 7 MAR 45. Attacks Date Reported Weather RAF Bomber Command 13/14 FEB 45 10/10 thin cloud RAF Bomber Command 19/20 FEB 45 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 2 MAR 45 Clear RAF Bomber Command 5/6 MAR 45 9/10-10/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: Damage is largely confined to the West section of Braunkohleebenzin AG (Synthetic Oil Plant) where the coal drying plant is severely damaged, two storage tanks are destroeyd, and holes are seen in the roofs of the dydrogen comprssors building and low temperature cooling plant. The transpormer station at AG Sachsische Werke (power plant) is over half destroyed, and the boiler houses and generator hall have scattered roof damage. Nearly half of the buildings in the labour camp at the Northwest corner of the New Works are damaged or destroyed. Several instances of minor rood repair are seen. Details of damage are as follows: (Numbers refer to illustration following this report) Braunkohle Benzin AG (Synthetic Oil Plant) 6. Coal drying plant - Roof gone from most of coal handling plant, and the upper portion largely destroyed. Rail line leading into the plant from the South is destroyed. North hlaf of long building on East side has upper portion mostly destroyed. 8. LTC plant (East building) - One-sixth of roof removed 15. Briquetting moulding shed - Roof removed from West 1/3 16. Briquetting moulding shed - West end destroyed 17. Gas generating plant - Small hole in North end of recently repaired roof. 18. Large gasholder - Destroyed Medium storage tank South of (30) - Destroyed 22. Hydrogen compressors - Small portion of roof blown off Two medium buildings West of gas purification plant (20) - Scattered roof damage. AG Sachsische Werke (Power Plant) 35/36 Boiler houses - Scattered roof damage 37. Generator house - Scattered roof damage 38. Transformer station - Building over one-half destroyed Braunkohle-Benzin AG (New Works) 54. Labor camp - 12 of 27 barracks-type buildings destroyed or damaged. The warehouse-type buildings immediately East of the labour camp - One destroyed, one 1/6 destroyed. Medium building Southwest of the high pressure boiler house (52) - One corner slightly damaged. Note supplied by 'D' Section: 'The plant is practically inactive, somke seen issueing from only one boiler house chimney'.

Mosquitoes fra No. 8 Group Luftgaukommando XI Ic L i Nordtyskland rapporterede om følgende indflyvninger i løbet af aften og natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945: 1. 19.30 - 20.27 Uhr Durchflug eines starken Verbandes schneller Kampfflugzeuge (60 - 70 Flugzeuge) aus der Nordsee entlang der ostfriesischen Inseln, d.d.R zwichen Cuxhaven und Bremen, Hamburg und Fallingbostel, Uelzen nach Luftgau III. 21.01 - 21.55 Uhr Rückflüge aus Luftgau III d.d.R. Braunschweig, Hannover - Einbeck nach Luftgau VI and entlang der südlichen Luftgaugrenze nach Holland. Höhe: 7000 - 10000 m Geschwindigkeit: ca 500 km/h Muster: nicht gemeldet 2. 20.38 - 21.55 Uhr Einflug eines schwachen Verbandes schneller Kampfflugzeuge (10 - 15 Flugzeuge) aus Holland d.d.R. Lingen, Hüde, i.d.R. Hannover . Einbeck - Braunschweig zum Angriff auf HGW. Abflüge nach Luftgau VI und entlang der südlichen Luftgaugrenze nach Holland. Höhe: 6000 - 7000 m Geschwindigkeit: 500 km/h Muster: nicht gemeldet 3. 19.19 - 02.45 Uhr Einflug von insgesamt 54 schnellen Kampfflugzeugen und Fernnachtjägern aus Holland und Lg VI i.d.R. mit der Begrenzung: Norden - Helgoland - Husum - Kiel - Lübeck - Braunschweig - Goslar - Göttingen und Südliche Luftgaugrenze. Abflüge nach Holland und Luftgau VI. Höhe: Tief - 10000 m. Geschwindigkeit: 450 - 550 km/h. Muster: nicht gemeldet. Wetter: Nordteil: 2/10 - 5/10, U.Gr. 500 m, O.gr. 1500 m, Schichtbewölkung. Sicht 10 km, NW-Wind - 20 km/h. Südteil: 5/10 - 8/10. U.Gr. 500 m, O.Gr. 3000 m, einzelne Regenschauer, Sicht 10 km, NNW-Wind 15 km/h.

Benzol anlægget ved Hallendorf i slutningen af krigen.

Ovennævnte flyvninger var primært Mosquitoes fra No. 8 Group's Light Nicht Striking Force plus nogle få Mosquitoes fra No. 100 Group på Intruder missioner. Benzol anlægget ved Hallendorf lidt sydvest for Braunschweig blev bombet af 6 ud af 8 afsendte Mosquitoes, der gjorde brug af Oboe for at bombe målet gennem 10/10 skydække. Bomber Commands kode for dette mål var GF2250 og H-Hour var sat til klokken 21.05. En Mosquito gik tabt fra styrken til Hallendorf, nemlig PF447 fra No. 109 Squadron, der bombede Hallendorf fra 37.000 fods højde og derefter satte kursen mod Brussels-Melsbroek, hvor de forulykkede under landingen. Begge besætningsmedlemmer blev dræbt under uheldet. Der var kun let til moderat luftværnsskydning med tungt luftværnsskyts ved Hallendorf. Der blev kastet seks stk 4000 HC mod Hallendorf.

Følgende fly blev indsat mod Hallendorf: No. 105 Squadron Mosquito XVI MM117 F/Lt J W Birt, DFC & F/Lt J D B V Refitt, DFC 18.56 - 22.16 Last resort. Owing to abnormal petrol consumption F/L Birt was compelled to drop his 'cookie' on Kassel. Mosquito XVI PF452 F/Lt J C H Delishe, DFC & F/O J F O C DElori 18.29 - 22.50 Primary attacked Mosquito XVI PF385 F/Lt K L D Drake, DFC & F/Lt C R A Challis, DFC 18.54 - 20.00 Returned early stbd engine. F/Lt Drake returned early owing to a high oil temperature on the starboard engine, and also his Gyro Turn and Bank indicator and his Artificial Horizon were all u/S. Mosquito XVI RV304 F/Lt J A Ruck, DFC & F/Lt J P M Greching 18.45 - 22.46 Primary attacked No. 109 Squadron Mosquito XVI MM991 W/O T A Carter & W/O R J Wicks 18.40 - 23.20 Bombed target rom 32.000 ft by A5513 at 2012. Cloud nil thick haze. Defences inaccurate heavy flak. Mosquito XVI MM193 W/O H M J Smith & F/Sgt W R Wade 18.40 - 22.55 Bombed target from 32.000 ft by AR5513 at 21.07. Cloud 7/10 st cu. Defences nil. Mosquito XVI PF429 W/O D E Hope & F/O J F Trigg 18.50 - 23.15 Bombed target from 32.000 ft by AR5513 at 2121. Cloud 10/10 st cu. Defences Medium inaccurate flak. Mosquito XVI PF447 F/O A M Payne & F/Lt J V Evans 18.53 - Bombed target from 32.000 ft by AR 5513 at 2142. This a/c failed to return. F/O Payne bombede 24 minutter senere end befalet. Alfred Migal Payne og John Vernon Evans ligger begge begravet på bykirkegården i Bruxelles.

Kiel, Lübeck, Hamburg og Hannover blev hjemsøgt af seks Mosquitoes, der var på sirenetur (bombetogt for at forstyrre nattesøvnen og sløve forsvaret). H-Hour for Kiel (Minnow) var sat til klokken 20.10 og/eller 21.05, hvorefter man skulle fortsætte til Mackerel, Dace og Eel. Flyene på sirentour kom med to gange tre fly fra henholdsvis No. 162 og 139 Squadron. Hvert fly skulle kaste en 500 lb sprængbombe over hver by og vis flyenes Y-udstyr (H2S) var ude af drift skulle de i stedet for bombe Minnow ved hjælp af navigationsmetoden DR. Mosquitoerne på Sirentour havde ordre på at affyre route markers under deres flyvning for at forvirre det tyske luftforsvar. Tre ud af fem afsendte Mosquitoes bombede alle fire byer ved hjælp af H2S, medens de to sidste på grund af defekt H2S kun bombede Kiel ved hjælp af DR. I Hannover opstod der mindre skader i byen og jernbanestationen Pferdeturm fik mindre skader på sporanlægget. Alle fem Mosquitoes returnerede til England. Kun over Kiel var der lidt tungt luftværnsskydning og seks lyskastere, der samarbejdede - dog uden resultat.

Følgende fly deltog i Sirentour: No. 139 Squadron Mosquito XX KB354 F/Lt E Hazelhoff & Lt B M Vlielander-Hein 18.00 - 21.48 Mosquito XX KB204 F/O V H New, DFM & F/Sgt H R Chilvers 18.10 - 22.20 Mosquito XX KB156 F/Lt M I Waterston & Sgt R R Goulding 18.17 - 22.18 Crews report 5-8/10ths cloud cover over all targets. Good H2S runs were made by all three aircraft. No opposition was encountered. Altogether quite a successful night. No. 162 Squadron Mosquito 25 KB415 F/O B M Knight, DFM & F/O J Robjohns 18.02 - 21.42 Target attacked at 19.55.54 hrs from 26.000 ft with 4 x 500 lb MC. Nothing seen. Cloud 5/10ths strata. Visibility good. Mosquito 25 KB214 F/Lt C O Stewart & F/Sgt H G Walker 18.03 - 21.52 Target attacked with 4 x 500 lb MC boms at 2006.00 hrs from 26.500 ft. Nothing seen.

Gelsenkirchen og Mannheim var mål for skinangreb udført af Mosquitoes fra No. 8 Group. Angrebsstyrken til Gelsenkirchen, der ligger i Ruhrområdet, bestod af tre fly fra henholdsvis No. 105, 109, 142, 608 og 128 Squadron. 14 ud af 15 afsendte Mosquitoes angreb Gelsenkirchen og bombede gennem 10/10 skydække. Tre Oboe Mosquitoes kastede målmarkeringsbomber, som hurtigt forsvandt i skydækket. Enkelte bombebesætninger kunne se et svagt rødt lys gennem skyerne og bombede dette, men hovedparten af de efterfølgende Mosquitobesætninger bombede uden hjælp fra pathfinders. Der var ingen luftværnsskydning eller anden aktivitet over Gelsenkirchen. Mod Gelsenkirchen blev der denne nat kastet 3 stk 4000 HC, 31 stk 500 MC, 3 stk 500 GP samt 6 stk 250 TI.

Følgende fly angreb Gelsenkirchen: No. 105 Squadron At Gelsenkirchen 2/3 aircraft attacked successfully, the third dropping on DR. Mosquito IX LR503 F/O K S McPherson & P/O F W Deedman 18.45 - 21.50 Primary attacked Mosquito XVI RV303 F/Lt P J Wheeler, DFC & F/Lt C H Brown, DFC 18.44 - 21.53 Last resort Mosquito IX ML938 F/Lt C F Muller, DFM & F/Lt P Hall, DFC 18.45 - 21.44 Primary attacked

No. 109 Squadron Mosquito XVI MM205 P/O R S McNay & F/Lt A W Batchelor18.25 - 21.45 2 x 500MC + 2 x TI Red. Technical failure - bombs only dropped on DR from 32.000 ft. Mosquito XVI PF396 F/Lt L G Barnes & F/Lt K H Neville 18.30 - 19.50 2 x 500MC + 2 x TI Red. Returned early owing to engine trouble. Bomb load brought back. Mosquito XVI MM929 F/O N E Boseman & F/O F A Hanley 18.30 - 21.50 2 x 500MC + 2 x TI Red. Marked and bombed from 32.000 ft by AR5513 at 2029. Cloud 10/10 st cu. Defences nil. No. 128 Squadron Mosquito 16 PF440 F/O Willey & Sgt C H Kerr 18.09 - 22.16 Saw no TI's orbited and dropped on DR. Opposition nil. 10/10ths 8/9000'. Mosquito 16 PF406 F/Lt Read & F/O Flower 18.11 - 22.44 No TI's. Bombed on Gee. Opposition nil. Some bomb bursts seen. Mosquito 16 PF428 F/O Mayfield & F/Sgt Murphy 18.10 - 22.15 No TI's seen - bombed on Gee after 20 mins over target. Opposition nil.

Hans Sachs Haus i Gelsenkirchen efter en bombetræffer. Angrebet om aftenen den 5. marts 1945 gik især ud over Altstadt, Feldmark og Schalke. Inden udgangen af marts 1945 skulle Gelsenkirchen opleve yderligere ni luftangreb, hvoraf et angreb den 19. marts var særdeles ødelæggende.

No. 142 Squadron Mosquito XXV KB432 F/Lt H C Cumming & F/O M C Wright 18.07 - 22.20 3 x 500 MC TD .025 + 1 x 500 GP LD. Full load dropped from 25.000 feet at 20.38. No marking seen when we arrived at target at 20.26. Gee jammed within 30 miles of target. orbitted for 12 minutes and at 20.35 saw small red glow astern below cloud. Turned and bombed centre of these. Defences: No flak, no S/L's, 2 fighter flares bursting 25.000 feet. Mosquito XXV KB436 F/O R A Gosling & F/Sgt D T Simpson 18.08 - 22.04 3 x 500 MC TD .025 + 1 x 500 GP LD. Full load dropped from 25.000 feet at 20.30. Got a fix at 20.22. No marking seen until 20.38 when Red glow appeared to starboard. Appeared bo be Red TI beneath cloud, lasted several minutes. Ran over and bombed centre, no results seen.

Mosquito XXV KB473 F/Lt M D Nimmo & F/Sgt J L Craddock 18.10 - 22.11 3 x 500 MC TD .025 + 1 x 500 GP LD. Full load dropped from 25.000 feet at 20.37. arrived target at 20.25 and orbitted until 20.30. No marking seen and decided to do Gee run into target. Just positioning when a Red glow was seen at 20.34 burning below cloud. One flash seen at 20.31 one red glow. Defences: No flak, no S/L's, 2 fighter flares bursting 25.000 feet. No. 608 Squadron Mosquito XX KB438 F/Lt Dobbs & F/O McCartney 18.22 - 22.07 Bombed glow of red TI at 2030+ from 24.000' on 303T at 180K. Runup to target only a glow of red Ti could be seen and this coincided with our ETA. No result of bombing seen. 10/10 cloud, tops 15.000'. Mosquito XX KB413 P/O Turner & Sgt Bryant 18.22 - 22.09 Bombed glow of red TI at 2032.50 from 18.000' on 104t at 200K. On run up Ti visible but a large glow (red) was seen which coincided with our ETA. At time of release a red cascaded just below nose of aircraft. At 2033 further red tubled into existing glow. No bombing results seen. Mosquito XX KB441 F/O Clegg & F/Sgt Simpson 18.15 - 22.24 Bombed on Gee and DR at 2043 from 17.000' on 010T at 175 K. On run up to target no TI were visible and a small glow was seen below cloud but colour did not appear genuine, so orbited to port and on second orbit, not seeing anything which looked like a glow from red TI headed onto a position and bombed on Gee which did coincide with glow. Mannheim blev bombet af otte fly (fire fra henholdsvis No. 105 og 109 Squadron). Tre fly fungerede som pathfinders, men ligesom ved Gelsenkirchen forsvandt målmarkingsbomberne i skydækket og de efterfølgende besætninger bombede ved hjælp af deres navigationsanlæg eller mod et rødt lysskær gennem skydækket. Der var kun lidt tungt luftværnsskydning ved Mannheim. Der blev i alt kastet 15 stk 500 MC samt 7 stk 250 lbs TI mod Mannheim. Følgende fly angreb Mannheim: No. 105 Squadron At Mannheim 1/4 aircraft made a successful attack, the other three bombed on DR and so retained there TI. Mosquito IX ML914 F/O A H Hammond & Sgt B J Fry 18.22 - 22.45 Last resort. Mosquito IX LR498 F/Lt W H B Prichard & F/Sgt J E Spicer 18.29 - 22.56 Last resort Mosquito IX LR503 W/O W Rieden & F/Sgt J D O'connel 18.24 - 22.25 Last resort Mosquito IX ML930 F/O S D Telford & F/Sgt G W Vance 18.23 - 22.02 Primary attacked No. 109 Squadron Mosquito XVI MM122 P/O J A Falooner & P/O R W Bradbury 18.25 - 22.15 2 x 500 MC + 2 x TI Red. Technical failure - bombs only dropped on DR from 25000 ft at 2020. Defences nil. Mosquito XVI PF435 W/O E Beswick & F/O A W Pragnell 18.30 - 22.25 2 x 500 MC + 2 x TI Red. Marked and bombed target from 28.000 ft by AR5513 at 2039. Defences approx 12 searchlights. Mosquito XVI MM222 F/Lt J W Shaw & Sgt K Leight 18.25 - 22.05 2 x 500 MC + 2 x TI Red. Marked and bombed target from 28.000 ft by AR5513 at 2018. Defences light inaccurate flak. Mosquito XVI ML927 F/O S R Young & F/O S R Harrop-Lomas 18.30 - 22.45 2 x 500 MC + 2 x TI Red. Techical failure - 1 bomb and 1 TI dropped, owing to electrical trouble, on DR from 28.200 ft at 2041. Defences nil,

Berlin Medens de andre angreb blev foretaget mod mål, der var dækket af skyer, så bombede 71 ud af 75 Mosquitoer fra No. 8 Group Berlin i klart vejr med en smule jordtåge. Det tyske forsvar gjorde brug af falske målmarkeringer og lyskastere generede også de angribende besætninger i at se TI'erne, hvorfor angrebet var lidt spredt. Mosquitostyrken til Berlin var af No. 8 Groups befalet til at bestå af følgende enheder: No. 139 Sqdn 9 Mosquitoes No. 142 Sqdn 9 Mosquitoes No. 162 Sqdn 9 Mosquitoes No. 163 Sqdn 6 Mosquitoes No. 608 Sqdn 9 Mosquitoes No. 128 Sqdn 9 Mosquitoes No. 571 Sqdn 12 Mosquitoes No. 692 Sqdn 12 Mosquitoes Fluko kort fra Luftgau XI for Mosquitoernes indflyvning til Berlin om aftenen den 5. marts 1945.

Angrebsstyrken fik følgende befaling vedrørende afmærkningen af målområdet samt bombetidspunkter for Whitebait (Bomber Commands kodeord for Berlin): Blind markers at times detailed will mark the aiming point with TI floaters red and green bursting at 20.000 ft and TI mixed colour red/green cascading at 11.500 ft. Bombers will aim their bombs in the following order of preference: a. At centre of mixed colour red/green TI's b. At centre of red and green floaters c. Visually or on Loran Whitebait at H0 = 2045 hrs 3/139 at H-4 3/139 at H-3 3/139 at H-2 = 1 x TI floater Red (20.000) + 1 x TI floater green (16.000) ? 1 x TI No 28 R/G + 1 x 500 9/142 + 9/162 + 6/163 + 9/680 at H0 = 3 x 500 + 1 x 500 LD 9/128 + 12/571 + 12/692 at H0 = 1 x 4000

Hovedstyrken til Berlin fulgte en rute, medens de H2S udstyrede fly fra No. 139 Squadron fløj en lidt anderledes rute. På vej til målet var der planlagt to positioner, hvor der skulle kastes lysbomber for at markere ruten. På position 53.55'N 08.20'E skulle der kastes rød markering og på 53.15'N 12.50'E skulle der kastes rød og gul markering. På vejen hjem skulle der kastes grøn Routemarker på position 52.05'N 10.30'E. Hver Mosquitobesætning skulle fra 40 km før aiming point begynde at kaste deres last af 36 bundter Window for at forvirre de tyske radar. Nattens Master Bomber for Berlin havde kaldesignalet 'Crown' og hovedstyrken anvendte kaldesignalet 'Anchor'. Master Bomberen havde mulighed for at ændre H-hour ved at udsende melding ved 0850E og 1030E.

Følgende Mosquitobesætninger deltog i angrebet på Berlin: No. 139 Squadron Mosquito XX KB271 F/Lt A O'Grady & F/Lt L D Groome, DFC 18.08 - 20.15 Mosquito XXV KB399 F/Lt G L J Oliver & F/Sgt T Tyler, DFM 18.10 - 22.50 Mosquito XXV KB390 F/Lt R O Day & F/Lt T Treby 18.12 - 22.47 Mosquito XXV KB482 F/Lt L H Wakeford & F/Sgt R E Smith 18.13 - 21.10 Mosquito XX KB367 F/Lt J W T Bosch & F/Sgt J H Van Houten 18.14 - 22.42 Mosquito XX KB225 S/Ldr J D Robins & F/Sgt J D Crawford 18.15 - 22.56 Mosquito XX KB192 F/Lt W C Wilson, AFC & S/Ldr J Y Malley, DFC 18.15 - 22.46 Mosquito XVI MM200 P/O A J Van Amsterdam & S/Ldr H A Forbes, DFC 18.16 - 22.40 Mosquito XX KB156 F/Lt M H Wallis & F/O F W Crawley, DFC 18.18 - 22.53

Luftfoto af Berlin fotograferet af en Mosquito fra No. 542 Squadron klokken 13.00 den 8. februar 1945. Fototydernes vurdering lyder: 1. Air Minstry: SE corner severely damaged, several points of minor roof damage. 2. Reichs presidential Chancellery; Two points of damage to Eastern half. 4. Gestapo Headquarters: End of one bay destroyed. 5. Post Office and National Post Office Museum: Most of roof stripped. 6. Treasury: Minor roof damage. 7. Europa House and Allied Insurance Office: Center section gutted. 8. Anhalter Station: NW corner severely damaged; extensive roof stripping. 9. Museum of Arts and Crafts: North half gutted; minor roof damage to S half. 10. Haus der Flieger: Aviators House, including Goering's office as Chief of Air Force: Slight roof damage. 11. Prussin House: Office of Presidency of Prussia; top storey destroyed. 12. Herman Goering's Office as President of Prussia - Par of Prussin House: Large section of roof destroyed. 13. Wertheim's Stores: roof destroyed. 14. Ministry of Transport: Large section of top storey destroyed, further large area of roof stripped. 15. State Railway Directorate: Slight roof damage.

No. 142 Squadron Mosquito XXV KB466 F/Lt D F Bateman & F/O R A Kemp 18.01 - 22.53 Mosquito XXV KB451 F/Lt I L Berry & F/O A D Mitchell 18.00 - 22.54 Mosquito XXV KB457 F/O T Dixon & F/Sgt R D Johnston 17.57 - 23.03 Mosquito XXV KB423 F/O J M Ellison & F/O H J Farquhar 17.55 - 22.46 Mosquito XXV KB519 F/Lt D F Gosling & P/O J C Pickford 18.09 - 22.51 Mosquito XXV KB481 F/O D G Hannigan & F/Sgt D Korthridge 17.54 - 23.05 Mosquito XXV KB468 S/Ldr A W D James & P/O G Hockenhull 18.03 - 22.59 Mosquito XXV KB439 F/Lt S A Nolan & Sgt W J G Green 18.05 - 22.56 Mosquito XXV KB435 F/O H J Smith & Sgt J T Gibbins 18.03 - 22.43 No. 162 Squadron Mosquito 25 KB462 W/O W J Henley & P/O J Clark 18.07 - 22.38 Mosquito 25 KB509 F/Lt M C Lowe, DFM & Sgt Haggie 18.08 - 22.45 Mosquito 25 KB483 F/O R T Phillip & F/O A E Kennedy 18.09 - 23.09 Mosquito 25 KB415 F/O D W Rhys & F/O FKennelly 18.08 - 23.51 Mosquito 25 KB454 F/O J H Richards & F/O D MacGregor 18.11 - 22.40 Mosquito 25 KB543 F/O P Smith, DFM & F/O C H Booth 18.12 - 22.49 Mosquito 25 KB458 P/O J Watt & F/Sgt R F Clark 18.06 - 22.47 Mosquito 25 KB445 F/Lt R R Walker & Sgt W K Grigg 18.05 - 23.06 Mosquito 25 KB492 F/O E F Burgess, DFC & F/O A C Wallie, DFC 18.11 - 22.59

Store dele af Berlin var totalt ødelagt efter bombardementerne og ofte faldt Mosquitoernes sprængbomber i allerede udbombede bygninger.

No. 163 Squadron Mosquito 25 KB529 F/Lt Hawley & F/O Richardson 18.05 - 23.04 Mosquito 25 KB555 F/Lt Watson & S/Ldr George 18.07 - 22.53 Mosquito 25 KB518 W/O Fogo & F/Sgt Severson 18.07 - 22.57 Mosquito 25 KB474 F/Lt Jinks & F/Lt Ross 18.05 - 23.22 Mosquito 25 KB427 F/O Price & Sgt O'Shea 18.06 - 23.03 Mosquito 25 KB425 F/Lt Cooper & F/Sgt Gillespie 18.08 - 23.28 No. 608 Squadron Mosquito XX KB298 W/Cdr R C Alabaster & P/O Foley 18.26 - 23.08 Mosquito XX KB424 F/Lt Lilley & F/Sgt Hossack 18.19 - 22.36 Mosquito XX KB491 F/Lt Morton & F/Sgt Beavis 18.16 - 23.10 Mosquito XX KB417 F/Lt Long & F/O Murray 18.21 - 23.18 Mosquito XX KB400 F/Lt Mackenzie & F/O Scott 18.24 - 23.20 Mosquito XX KB197 F/Lt MacLean & Sgt Todd 18.23 - FTR Mosquito XX KB189 F/O Nunn & P/O Harris 18.23 - 23.20 Mosquito XX KB347 F/O Green & Sgt Rice 18.21 - 23.26 Mosquito XX KB355 F/O Dunn & F/O Bancroft 18.25 - 23.15 No. 128 Squadron Mosquito 16 PF415 F/Lt Jones & F/Sgt Btrown 18.41 - 22.54 Mosquito 16 PF413 F/Lt Stapylton & F/O Leckenby 18.13 - 23.02 Mosquito 16 MM202 F/Lt L G Smith & W/O Lane 18.16 - 22.45 Mosquito 16 PF432 P/O Prior & F/O Morris 18.11 - 22.52 Mosquito 16 MM223 F/Lt Wright & F/O Belfitt 18.12 - 22.32 Mosquito 16 PF409 F/O Dunn & F/O A R Smith 18.13 - 23.00 Mosquito 16 PF405 F/Lt Walker & Sgt Carr 18.15 - 23.00 Mosquito 16 RV297 F/O Byatt & F/Sgt O'Malley 18.14 - 22.37 Mosquito 16 PF461 F/O Goddard & P/O Wise 18.17 - 20.12

Hitlers balkon i Rigskanseliet. (Claus Skaaren- borg)

No. 571 Squadron Mosquito XVI RV323 S/Ldr R I P MAckenzie & F/Sgt F A J David 18.10 - 22.47 Mosquito XVI MM186 F/Lt J Shaw & Sgt A Markland 18.10 - 21.25 Mosquito XVI RV305 F/Lt A W Mair & F/Sgt W F Withers 18.11 - 22.39 Mosquito XVI ML963 F/Lt A G Green & P/O E C Taylor 18.12 - 23.03 Mosquito XVI MM179 F/Lt D P J Monk & Sgt P V Meyer 18.13 - 22.51 Mosquito XVI MM148 P/O D R Tucker & F/Sgt G A Weatcroft 18.13 - 22.48 Mosquito XVI RV307 F/Lt H R OSborne & P/O A Welch 18.16 - 22.50 Mosquito XVI RV315 F/Lt H H Tatersall & F/Lt K C A Smith 18.15 - 22.36 Mosquito XVI PF381 F/Lt J N Campbell & F/Lt A B Cleaver 18.15 - 22.53 Mosquito XVI PF394 F/Lt V F Goddard & F/Sgt D S Carey 18.17 - 22.55 Mosquito XVI MM145 F/O S W Nicolle & Sgt W Brown 18.20 - 22.44 Mosquito XVI PF438 F/Lt M J Cane & F/Sgt R J Mirow 18.21 - 22.46

Træfferbilledet for No. 139 Squadron under angrebet på Berlin om aftenen den 5. marts 1945, hvor eskadrillen havde til opgave at afmærke målområdet for de andre Mosquitoes.

No. 692 Squadron Mosquito XVI PF4566 S/Ldr J M Harnes & F/Lt A H H Jenkins, DFC 18.08 - 22.47 Mosquito XVI PF445 F/Lt G R Green & F/Lt J A Perry 18.07 - 22.36 Mosquito XVI MM176 F/Lt A W Waugh & F/O L R Corrigan 18.09 - 22.58 Mosquito XVI PF441 F/O P J Crawford & Sgt J Brunhead 18.14 - 22.52 Mosquito XVI PF448 W/O J A Crossmann & Sgt R G barnes 18.12 - 22.53 Mosquito XVI MM133 W/O G Hill & Sgt W Liversidge 18.11 - 22.47 Mosquito XVI MM187 F/Lt Boothright & F/Sgt C R Clark 18.12 - 22.39 Mosquito XVI PF400 F/Lt P J Trotman, DFC & F/O B H Tubbs, DFM 18.13 - 22.32 Mosquito XVI ML970 F/Lt R Bailey, AFC & F/O T G Sawyer 18.15 - 23.07 Mosquito XVI PF430 F/Lt L J J Judson, DFC DFM & Sgt T Grieveson 18.15 - 22.55 Mosquito XVI MM180 P/O R H M Vere & W/O J F P Arhbold 18.17 - 23.04 Mosquito XVI RV312 F/Sgt W Campey & F/Sgt J Rabiner 18.18 - 22.49

No. 8 Group rapporterede om angrebet på Berlin: '75 Mosquitoes took off; 70 attacked the primary target; 4 were abortive and 1 missing. The Master Wing Finder brought forward the H-hour to 2040 hours. Red and Green TI floaters with mixed TI Red/Green were dropped with good continuity from 2030 till 2038 by seven of the marker aircraft on H2S. Numerous dummy TI's and the flare of over 100 searchlights seem to have made it somewhat difficult to distinguish some of the genuine TI's, but most crews appear to have seen them in a line running roughly NE to SW. Bombing appears to have been somewhat scattered, but two fairly noteworthy explosions wer observed at about 2036 and 2040 hours. Defences: Slight to moderate heavy flak with over 100 searchlights operating in cones. the decoy town site to the NW seems to have been in operations with searchlights and TI's and may have been attracted a few bombs'.

Mosquito 'C' fra No. 128 Squadron, der blev fløjet F/O Goddard, returnerede to timer efter start på grund af en syg navigatør. De andre af eskadrillens besætninger bombede Berlin uden at de kunne se resultatet af deres bombning, som var spredt på grund af falske målmarkeringer samt aggressiv anvendelse af mange lyskastere i og omkring Berlin. Lyskasterne virkede meget generende for bombekasterne, der havde vanskeligt ved at observere detaljer på grund af blænding.

Foto i sommeren 1945 af Wilhelmsstrasse mod syd. De kraftige master var beregnet til at bære radioantenner for blandt andet Rigskanceliet. (Claus Skaarenborg)

F/O Byatt og F/Sgt O'Malley fra No. 128 Squadron havde følgende bemærkninger i deres rapport: Saw Red and Green TI's which looked suspicious (no floats). At 2032 first TI fell and lower TIs disappeared in cloud. 2034 another one close to it and saw lower TI which was bombed. 2035 another fell on Starboard. Good conc of cookies and TI's. Slight H/F except Bremen and Hamburg. Route markers badly placed. Many search lights. 5/10ths 6000 feet. No. 608 Squadron mistede en Mosquito under angrebet på Berlin. Det drejede sig om Mosquito XX KB197 'A', der under returflyvningen styrtede ned ved Braine le Comte i Frankrig. Begge besætningsmedlemmer, F/Lt Malcolm Hamilton Murray Maclean og Sgt Richard Todd, blev dræbt og blev i første omgang begravet tæt ved nedstyrtningstedet, men er nu overflyttet til Leopoldsburg War Cemetery. Australieren Maclean havde fået tildelt et DFC i januar 1945 for et togt til Hannover i november 1944, hvor hans Mosquito blev angrebet af en tysk natjager. Ved hjemkomsten til RAF Graveley blev hovedparten af eskadrillens fly omdirigeret til Little Staughton, idet Mosquito KB424 med F/Lt Lilley som pilot havde et dæk, der eksploderede ved landingen og efterfølgende blokerede landingsbanen. En af de piloter, der blev omdirigeret, var No. 608 Squadrons chef, Wing Commander Robert Clifford Alabaster, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar. Alabaster fløj ved No. 51 Squadron i 1941, hvor han fik sit første DFC. Det næste kom i juli 1943, medens han fløj som Flight Commander ved No. 97 Squadron. Det første DSO blev tildelt i november 1943 og det sidste fik han i sommeren 1945. Alabaster fløj mere end 100 operative togter i løbet af krigen. Ved krigens afslutning blev han tilbudt en fast stilling i RAF, men valgte at følges med Don Bennett over i British South American Airways. Fra 1949 fløj han for BOAC indtil 1973. Alabaster døde i en alder af 95 år den 17. februar 2014. No. 139 Squadron på RAF Upwood afsendte 9 Mosquitoer og eskadrillens dagbog beretter om nattens togt: All aircraft detailed took off on time despite three changes of route and a badly worked out method from Group. concentration of TIs seemed quite good and all but two of our aircraft dropped on an adjusted 'H' hour of 5 minutes early. Little bombing was seen though 'cookie' bursts were observed outside the searchlight area. Opposition was slight though numerous searchlights were operating in cones of 20-30. Two aircraft returned early, F/Lt O'Grady on one engine. Unfortunately he pranged on landing overshooting the long runway. F/Lt Wakeford had oxygen trouble and dropped his bombs on Bremen. No. 692 Squadron på RAF Graveley afsendte 12 Mosquitoes mod Berlin. Back to the Big City with twelve of our aircraft dropping cookies between 2034 and 2050. H hour was brought forward but this was only heard by ten crews. They all bombed on the TI's which were down early but which were very scattered. The two later aircraft bombed on the glow of fires or S/L's through the haze and the estimated position of the TIs. With dummy TI's also attracting a few bombs this was a somewhat scattered raid. There were again many searchlights and some slight flak. No fighters were seen.

Den bomberamte og udbrændte amerikanske ambassade ved krigens afslutning. Da amerikanerne forlod bygningen i december 1941 overtog den svejsiske ambassade tilsynet med bygningen. Ved krigens afslutning kom ambassaden til at ligge i den russiske sektor, hvorfor USA flyttede ud af bygningen, der blev revet ned af den østtyske stat i 1957. (Claus Skaarenborg)

Der er lidt divergerende meninger om hvor mange bomber, Berlin blev ramt af denne nat. Bombe Command rapporterede, at de kastede 31 stk 4000 HC, 129 stk 500 MC, 9 stk 500 GP samt 21 stk 250 TI. Luftwaffe rapporterede, at Berlin blev angrebet i tidsrummet 20.31 til 20.45, hvor der blev kastet 32 sprængbomber og 7 minebomber (4.000 HC): Gebäudeschaden: In den Polizeiabschnitten Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Steglitz, Lichterfelde, Aehlendorf, Grunewald, Wannsee, Treptow, Baumschulenweg, Hermsdorf und Reinickendorf. 14 Häuser zerstört, 16 schwer, 28 mittelschwer, 53 leicht beschädigt. Industrieschäden: Kali-Chimie getroffen. Verkehrsschäden: Zwischen Bahnhof Nikolassee und Grunewald beide S-Bahngleise getroffen. Verkehr unterbrochen. Bahnhof Wildpark Ferngleise nach Brandenburg getroffen. Verkehr unterbrochen. Personenverluste: 2 Gefallene, 8 Verwundete, 3 Vermisste, 350 Obdachlose. Det tyske politis rapport var lidt mere udførlig. Det var Berlins 320. flyveralarm og politiet anslog, at Berlin blev angrebet af 50 hurtige bombefly, hvorved der opstod skader i Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Zehlendorf, Steglitz, Tempelhof, Neukölln, Treptow, Köpernick og Reinickendorf. Politiets opgørelse over skader lyder: Verwaltungsbezirk Charlottenburg Ein Kaskadenblindgänger Stuttgarter Platz 6 (inzwischen detoniert) und ein Sprengbombenblindgänger gegenüber Gervinusstrasse 13. 85 Verpfegungsteilnehmer in 1 Sammelunterkunft. Verwaltungsbezirk Wilmersdorf Sprengbombeneinschlag auf Gartenhaus Joachim-Friedrich-Strasse 23. 130 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 60 echte Obdachlose in 1 Sammelunterkunft. Verwaltungsbezirk Zehlendorf Minen- und Sprengbombentreffer Klopstockstrasse 2 Ecke Fischerhüttenstrasse, Am Waldhaus 46 und im Ortsteil Wannsee: Donhäuser Strasse 6 Ecke Hans- Knirschweg, Schlickweg 15, Teich- und Johannstrasse, Ramsteinweg Ecke Sachlebenstrasse (Freigelände der Baumschule Späth). Ausserdem 1 Blindgänger Am Sanderwerder 17/19 (Haus von Reichsminister Funk). 1 Gefallener, 5 Verwundete, 250 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 90 echte Obdachlose in 1 Sammelunderkunft.

Rigskanceliets have ved krigens slutning. (Claus Skaarenborg)

Verwaltungsbezirk Steglitz Sprengbombeneinschlag im Ortsteil Lichterfelde, Görzalle Ecke Wismarer Strasse (Nähe Parkfriedhof) sowie 1 Flakgranateneinschlag in der Luzerner Strasse. Keine Personenschaden. Verwaltungsbezirk Tempelhof Einschlag 1 Minenbombe in Mariendorf, Stutaristerasse Ecke Dardanellenweg auf Barackenlager der Firma Delschau. 2 Leichtverwundete, 60 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 20 echte Obdachlose in 1 Sammelunterkunft. Verwaltungsbezirk Neukölln Minen- und Sprengbombeneinschläge im Ortsteil Britz, Kolonie goldregen, Töpferweg/Zimmerweg (Frontkämpfersiedlung) und Bauhüttenweg 7; im Ortsteil Rudow: Wildmeisterdamm. Neuköllnerstrasse 204 (Gehbahn), Arnikaweg 33 Ecke Windenweg und Petunieenweg 55 (Garten), im Ortsteil Buckow: Johannisthaler Chausee; ausserdem verschiedene Blindgänger und Langzeitzünder. 32 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 2 echte Obdachlose. Verwaltungsbezirk Treptow Minen- und Sprengbombeneinschläge im Baumschulenweg, ernststrasse in Niederschöneweide, Berliner Strasse (Kali-Chemie) und im Ortsteil Treptow auf Bahngelände zweichen Strasse am Treptower Park und Kiefholzstrasse. 3 Verwundete, 250 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 20 echte Obdachlose in 1 Sammelunterkunft. Verwaltungsbezirk Köpenich Sprengbombeneinschlag in Kolonie Am Freibad in Oberschöneweide, Elbeweg. Verwaltungsbezirk Reinickendorf Im Ortsteil Hermesdorf Sprengbombeneinschlag Amselgrund 15 und Brandbombenabwurf Forststrasse 13. 2 Gefallene, 50 Verpflegungsteilnehmer, davon 20 echte Obdachlose in 1 Sammelunterkunft.

Bomberamt gade i Berlin med tysk politibetjent i forgrunden. (C. Petersen)

Verkehrs- und Versorgungsbetriebe BVG Verschiedene Oberleitungs- und Gleisschäden in einzelnen Stadtgebieten. S-Bahn Die Linie Grunewald-Wannsee ist vorübergehend unterbrochen Bewag Ausser örtlichen Störungen sind keine Ausfälle gemeldet Stadtentwässerungsanstalt Leichter Gebäudeschaden durch bombenabwurf im Klärwerk Wassmannsdorf. Betrieb nicht gestört. Personenschäden Bezirk Gefallene Verwundete Zehlendorfr 1 5 Tempelhof 2 Treptow 3 Reinickendorf 2 Total 3 10

Totalt ødelagt boligkvarter i Berlin. Man regner med at omkring 31.000 personer omkom i Berlin på grund af bombardementerne. Dette er et højdt tal, men i samme tidsrum myrdede nazisterne 55.000 af Berlins jøder. Dertil kommer så kommunister, homoseksuelle og 'uønskede objekter'.

Et par Mosquitoes bombede Braunschweig, hvor der i tidsrummet 21.08 til 21.30 faldt seks sprængbomber, der beskadige Hermann Göring Werke Stahlwerk (Hütte Braunschweig) i svær grad. To af Mosquitoerne til Berlin gik tabt på vejen hjem, nemlig KB271 fra No. 139 Squadron, der overskød landingsbanen på RAF Upwood, samt KB197 fra No. 608 Squadron, der styrtede ned ved Braine le Comte i Frankrig. Sidstnævnte besætning blev dræbt ved nedstyrtningen. Mod Mosquitoerne til Berlin indsatte 2 Jagddivision en enkelt natjager, der dog ikke opnåede nogen nedskydning. Det tyske ordenspoliti (BdO Hannover) indrapporterede en rækker skader for den 5. marts, hvoraf nogle må have været forårsaget af Mosquitoes: Watenstedt-Salzgitter 20.02 bis 22.45 Uhr Abwurf von 7 Minenbomben. 3 Kleinbrände. 1 Scheune und 1 Stall sowie 3 Geräteschuppen schwer. Schäden in Pleiger- Hütte. Grossgas- und Lichtgasleitung sowie Kran 8 beschädigt. 2 Gefallene.

Hannover Abwurf einzelner Sprengbomben. Schäden an Gleisanlagen. Nähere Einzelheiten stehen noch aus. Ausserdem auf 2 Landgemeinden Abwurf von 4 Sprengbomen sowie Bordwaffenbeschuss.1 Wohnhaus toal, 1 Lok beschädigt. 1 Schwerverwundeter. Også BdO Brandenburg indraporterede bombeskader: Kreis Teltow In Stahnsdorf, Märk. Wilmersdorf, Rangsdorf und Ahrensdorf insgesamt 11 Sprengbomben abegeworfen. 9 Wohnhäuser schwer, 20 miettel und 95 Wohnhäuser, 39 Betriebsgebäude, 1 Schule und 1 Kirche leicht. 1 Pferd getötet. Sidstnævnte skader kan være opstået på grund af tyske skinanlæg for Berlin, der var placeret flere steder rundt om Berlin.

Mosquito NF XXX fra No. 239 Squadron over Tyskland i 1945. I marts 1945 opererede No. 100 Group overalt over tysk område og de tyske natjagerbesætninger havde udviklet et mindreværdskompleks overfor 'dem fra det andet feltpostnummer'. Man fløj konstant undvigemanøvrer og ved start og landing forventede man konstant at blive angrebet af en Mosquito. Rent mentalt ændede de tyske natjagerpiloters tankegang sig fra at være jægere til at være jaget.

No. 100 Group og tyske natjagere Luftwaffe have et forholdsvis stort antal natjagere i luften i løbet af aftenen. Luftwaffe havde brændstofproblemer og havde de sidste par nætter mistet en hel del natjagerbesætninger, men denne nat var forholdene ret gode for de tyske natjagere. De tyske fly var dog ikke kun jægere, men også jagede, idet Bomber Command indsatte Mosquitoes fra No. 100 Group, der havde til opgave at afpatruljere kendte natjagerbaser, nattens målområder samt patruljelinier ved bombestyrkens an- og returflyvning. Briterne aflyttede intenst de tyske radiokanaler og No. 100 Group udarbejdede nedenstående rapport om Luftwaffes indsats mod de indflyvende Lancasters og Halifaxes til Böhlen og Chemnitz. Informationerne stammer overvejende fra aflytning af de tyske natjageres og kontrolstationeres radiotransmissioner: 720 heavy bombers attacked Chemnitz at 2145 hours and 5 minutes later a further 250 aircraft bombed Bohlen. Bomber Support operated a Mandrel Screen between Aachen and Luxembourg, Window Feint Force, supported by 30 Liberators of USAAF which bombed Wiesbaden, made a threat attack towards the Mannheim area after flooding the bomber approach routes in the early stages east of the Battle Front. RCM aircraft accompanied all raids and long-range night fighters covered airfields, beacons, routes to the target and also supplied close escort. The Mandrel Screen denied the enemy long range radar information but strong plotting commenced as the bombers crossed the Battle Front. This was of a very confused anture particularly in the Koblenz/Wiesbaden/Frankfurt area and the enemy at that time estimated the target as Mainz and directed two Gruppen of night fighters towards it. By the time the Window had dispersed the position was cleared and intensive, accurate and continuous plotting was broadcast on the two large bomber formations which were flying on similar courses in a North-easterly direction to the target areas. After bombing the raiders left by different routes, the Chemnitz aircraft returning on an almost due westerly course and the Bohlen aircraft proceeding due South almost as far as Augsburg before flying directly to the West. The Chemnitz force was well plotted along its homeward routes, the last plot being West of the Battle Front; the returning Bohlen Force was completely ignored. As the raid picture became clear after the early confusion enemy night fighters from 3 JD North of the route and 7 JD South of the route were vectored towards the bomber stream and reinforcements from the Berlin area in 1 JD were brought towards the targets which at one time were estimated to be Halle and Dresden. Interception appeared to be possible along the route to the target, in the target area and at certain parts of the route home. Landing times indicate that some enemy night fighters must have followed our bombes well into France. Aircraft from at least 8 Gruppen opposed these raids and an unusually large number of beacons were employed in passing plots to them. There were strong indications that the enemy was prepared to operate his Intruder plan again but it became obvious later in the operations that the weather conditions over the North-western German Airfields was giving anxiety and this factor, combined with the southerly route home, may have been the cause of the intentions being abandoned.

I foråret 1945 var Bf 110 forældet og selv om flere jageresser opnåede imponerende antal nedskydninger i denne flytype, så var dens dage talte. På billedet ses en Bf 110G fra 9./NJG 1. (Jim Crow via Theo Boiten)

I mere detaljeret form så No. 100 Groups opklaringsarbejde således ud for vurdering af de tyske natjageres indsats: Fighter Movements II./NJG 2 (Ober Olm and Hanau Langendiebach) 1942 - 2202 Ordered to beacon Elster 2005 hours Informed the target was Mainz 2054 - 2117 (Bombers plotted flying towards target) 2120 - 2126 (Bombs rapported on Halle) 2133 hours Informed target not Halle 2135 - 2150 (Further plots on bombers flying towards target) 2154 hours Bombs reported on Chemnitz. Given plots on returning bombers as far as 0700E 2330 - 0035 Ordered to land if not in contact III./NJG 4 (Paderborn) 2035 - 2115 (Plots on bomber force flying in) 2125 - 2129 Informed target Halle 2150 - 2152 (Plots on bombers flying due south towards target) 2154 hours (Informed target Chemnitz 2202 - 2241 (Plots on bombers returning) IV./NJG 6 (Kitzingen and Gerolzhofen) 1957 hours Aircraft ordered on course 340º (from Frankfurt area) 1959 - 2018 (Plots on bomber force - inward route from just East of Battle Line) 2103 hours Ordered to land at Gerolzhofen and Illesheim. Given plots till 2125 hours. NJG 1 (Controlled by Beacon Syl) 1919 - 2300 Active (No details owing to jamming) I JD control 2021 hours Ordered aircraft to Beacon Dora 2035 - 2112 (Plots on bombers flying towards the target area) 2118 hours Target reported as Halle 2134 - 2138 (Plots on bombers flying south to target) 2139 - 2143 Target reported as Dresden 2143 - 2236 (Plots on returning bombers) 3 JD Control 1925 - 1931 Aircraft ordered to Beacon Bazi 2000 - 2100 (Plots on Allied bombers flying towards target) 2116 hours Aircraft ordered to land at their own base or in the Berlin area

Ju 88G-6 W.Nr. 622383 (kodet 3C+AN) fra 5./NJG 4 på feltflyvepladsen ved Fårhus i Sønderjylland. Natjageren er udstyret med Berlin radar, der netop blev introduceret i de operative enheder i et meget lille antal i foråret 1945. (Søren Flensted)

Night Fighters Landing W/T IV./NJG 5 1 aircraft operated Juterbog 0052 hours u/i 1 aircraft operated Erfurt Bindersleben 2155 hours u/i Ju 88 operated Erfurt Bindersleben 2159 hours u/i Ju 88 operated Paderborn 2234 hours u/i 1 aircraft operated Erfurt Bindesleben 2115 hours and 2249 hours u/i Ju 88 or Me 110 operated Guterlooh 0006 hours u/i Ju 88 operated Gutersloh 2110 hours Sent distress signal - landed 2232 hours u/i Ju 88 or Me 110 operated Gerolzhofen 2105 hours Sent SOS - landed Gutersloh 2135 hours u/i Ju 88 operated Neuruppin 0126 hours u/i 1 aircraft operated Dresden 2155 hours u/i Ju 88 or Me 110 operated Luneburg 2235 hours u/i Ju 88 operated Bremen (flying NW) 2046 hours Landed Quackenbruck u/i 1 aircraft operated Hamburg 2051 hours u/i 1 aircraft operated Hamburg 2141 hours Operated Schwarzwald - sent distress signal 2141 hours Weather Weather plots were given for the following airfields between 2246 and 0045 hours by the 3 JD Control: Dortmund Vis 8 (km) cloud base 300 m 9-10/10ths cloud Handorf Vis 10 (km) cloud base 3-500 m 9/10ths cloud Gutersloh Vis 10 (km) cloud base 3-500 m 9/10ths cloud Paderborn Vis 8 (km) cloud base 300 m 10/10ths cloud Stormede Vis 20 (km) cloud base 300 m 10/10ths cloud Vechta Vis 20 (km) cloud base 500 m 3/10ths cloud Luneburg Vis 8 (km) cloud base 300 m 10/10ths cloud Ober Olm Vis 8 (km) cloud base 300 m 10/10ths cloud Cologne Vis 20 (km) cloud base 500 m 3/10ths cloud

Berlin radar på en Ju 88G-6

Beacons used Large Beacon Dora Small Beacons Bazi (Present location unknown) Elster Airfields Neuruppin, Juterbog, Waldlazer, Brandenburg, Briest, Erfurt-Bindersleben, Gerolzhofen and Illersheim Victory Claims 2252 hours Victory claim reported NE of Trier

Frequenies Plotting Systems MF R/T 313 (3 JD) 332, 357 (2 JD) 326, 269, 445, 699 (7 JD) 309 HF R/T 3180, 3819, 5012

JD controls - W/T Action Taken Freq Unit D/F Area Period Period Type 4415 3 JD Darmstadt 2031-0103 1936-0408 Corona 2046-0230 Drumstick 3482 3 JD Lippstadt 2047-0011 2107-0408 Corona 2102-0233 Drumstick 3280 3 JD Lippstadt 2310-2351 2318-0231 Drumstick 958 3 JD Lippstadt 1902-0130 1945-2310 Dartboard 42.1 3 JD Lippstadt 1902-1915 Nil 4020 7 JD Schwabish Hall 2018-2350 2035-2116 Jostle 2024-2247 Drumstick 2151-2247 Drumstick 3902 1 JD Leipzig 2027-2308 2039-2335 Drumstick 3088 Jafu Mittel Rhein 2236-2334 2253-0029 Drumstick Gruppe controls - W/T 4030 IV./NJG 6 Badenhausen 2005-2130 2014-2334 Jostle 2008-2313 Drumstick 3365 III./NJG 4 Kassel 2035-2314 Restricted frequency

Beacons used as Control Channels for passing plots Freq GAF Ref C/S Location Period Period Type Kc/s 1124 Paula SYL Dortmund (NJG 1) 2014-2359 2018-0009 Fidget 1164 - XLT Bonn/Koblenz (II./NJG 2) 1944-2333 2014-2333 Dartboard 1132 - R3A - 2047- Nil 1195 - 8Q8 - 2049- Nil 275 Philpp Kohle Paderborn 1940-2350 1945-2357 Fidget 562 Ludwig Gummi Ankum 2145-2245 2012-2130 Fidget (probably I./NJG 4) 2148-2234 Fidget 208 Otto Prinz Hanau 2015-0050 2025-0055 Fidget 599 Dagmar Natur Jagdzell 2015-2314 2121-2325 Fidget 212 Wega Mark Harlingen 2025-0035 2034.0042 Fidget 220 Gertrud Horst Gardelegen 2051-2332 2056-2337 Fidget 531 Dora Drama Gotha 2050-0055 2048-0105 Fidget 511 Ponto Ampel Pretsch (1 JD a/c) 2059-0010 2115-0017 Fidget 599 FF13 Helga 2021-2325 Fidget

Bomber Command opererede natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945 med 1223 fly, hvoraf de ti (hovedsageligt på grund af dårligt vejr) gik tabt over britisk område. Dertil kom så yderligere 31 fly, som gik tabt over Kontinentet, hvilket kom som noget af et chok for Bomber Command, der ikke havde ventet en så voldsom tysk indsættelse. Den totale tabsprocent for nattens indsats var 2.5%. I første omgang var Luftwaffe lidt i vildrede om nattens mål, men da de efter et stykke tid fandt ud af at angrebsstyrken var på vej mod Sachsen scramblede de et større antal natjagerbesætninger fra tre Jagddivisionen. Mod styrken til Chemnitz og Böhlen indsatte Luftwaffe følgende: 1. Jagddivision 21 Flugzeuge Verfolgungsnachtjagd 3. Jagddivision 26 Flugzeuge Verfolgungsnachtjagd 7. Jagddivision 4 Flugzeuge Verfolgungsnachtjagd 2 Flugzeuge Gebietsnachtjagd

De tyske natjagere havde følgende tab: 1 Jagddivision Personal 1-9-2 Maschinen 5-2-0 3 Jagddivision Personal 0-3-0 Maschinen 2-0-1 7 Jagddivision Personal 3-3-0 Maschinen 2-0-0 Jafü Mittelrhein Personal 0-3-0 Maschinen 0-1-0

Elleve tyske natjagerbesætninger gjorde krav på at have nedskudt 19 britiske fly i løbet af natten. Heraf gjorde Major Eckhoff fra II./NJG 2 krav på at have nedskudt 5 firemotorede maskiner, medens Major Hubert Rauh fra II./NJG 4 gjorde krav på tre nedskydninger og Oberstleutnant Borchers fra NJG 5 gjorde krav på to. Walter Borchers fik ikke lang tid til at glæde sig over sin sidste nedskydning. Han blev umiddelbart herefter angrebet af en Mosquito og hans maskine, Ju 88G-6 Werk Nr 622319, styrtede ned nord for Altenburg. To besætningsmedlemmer overlevede nedskydningen og sprang ud med faldskærm, medens Leutnant Reul og Oberstleutnant Borchers blev dræbt. Walter Borchers var chef for NJG 5 og havde ved sin død over 300 operative togter under hvilke, han havde opnået 59 nedskydninger. Han fik Ridderkorset i oktober 1944 og var indstillet til Egeløv ved sin død.

Walter Borchers blev født i Ofen ved Oldenburg den 22. januar 1916 og fløj ved krigens start som Zerstörerpilot ved 5./ZG 76. I 1941 kom han til natjagerne ved NJG 3, hvor han blev Staffelkapitän for 8./NJG 3 i november 1941. den 22. april 1943 blev han Gruppen- kommandeur III./NJG 5 og fik tre måneder senere Deutsches Kreuz in gold. Den 15. marts 1944 blev han udnævnt til major og chef for NJG 5 Den 1. maj 1944 fik han tildelt Ridderkorset. Borchers var en gang tidligere blevet nedskudt ned. Dette skete den 5. januar 1944, hvor han blev skudt ned af amerike fly fem km nordøst for Brunsbüttel. Under nedskydningen den 5. marts 1945 omkom ikke kun Borchers, men også hans radaroperatør, Leutnant Friedrich Reul, der stammede fra Frankfurt am Main.

Borchers blev skudt ned af Wing Commander W F Gibb, DSO DFC og hans navigatør F/O Robert Charles Kendall DFC i Mosquito XXX NT361 fra No. 239 Squadron. Deres rapport lyder: 'On patrol from 19.56 - 22.20 hours. Radar switched on at 0600E 2055 hours 17.000 feet. Radar switched off at 0600E 2320 hrs 20.000. Leipzig 30 miles SW 21.50 hrs 15000 ft. Mk X contact ahead crossing port starboard 5 miles. Gave chase with contact going straight and level on a course of 150 (proceeding toward Chemnitz) closed to 1000 ft and obtained visual. Closed further to 200 ft and identified Ju 88. Dropped back to 200 yards and opened fire with a two second burst. Strikes were seen on port engine and centre section resulting in a large flash and debris flying off. Mosquito pulled up over debris and met the slipstream which nearly turned Mosquito on back. Enemy aircraft was seen to dive to port and visual was lost. At the same time the contact passed out of coverage and the Mosquito was hampered by the number of blips on bomber stream and not recovered. Claim: 1 Ju 88 damaged 2155 hrs. Chemnitz 40 miles north 21.59 hrs 13000 ft Mk X contact ahead 15 degrees starboard 4 miles range. Chased on a heading of 180 and closed to 3000 ft. When first visual was obtained against cloud with fires beneath. Closed right up and identified Ju 88. Dropped back to 200 yards and fired in all 4 bursts. Obtained strikes on three of these. Port engine and fuselage on fire two and starboard wing on third burst. Debris coming off enemy aircraft went into a steep spiral disappeared into cloud at 9.000 ft and a few seconds afterwards the glow of an explosion. Claim 1 Ju 88 destroyed'. Gibbs anden nedskydning kan have været chefen for II./NJG 5. Major Hans Leickhard fra II./NJG 5 gjorde krav på en nedskydning (hans 13.), men styrtede selv ned og blev dræbt - muligvis skudt ned af Gibb. Leickhard fløj en Bf 110G-4 med Werke Nr 160669. Hele hans besætning, bestående af Ofw Bauchers og Fw Kühne, blev ligeledes dræbt. Major Hans Leickhard havde været chef for II./NJG 5 fra den 11. maj 1944 og frem til hans død, hvorefter Hauptmann Gustav Tham overtog stillingen som Gruppenkommandeur.

Major Hans Robert Leickhardt fløj under Slaget om Frankrig i 1940 som zerstörerpilot ved 14.(Z)/LG 1 og blev den 11. maj skudt ned ved Cerville. Han slap uskadt fra hændelsen og da hans enhed blev omdøbt til 2./NJG 3 den 1. oktober 1940 blev Leickhardt natjager pilot. Han kom en periode til NJG 1, før han endte i NJG 5 som chef for 2. Staffel i 1943. Den 20. maj 1944 blev han Gruppenkommandeur for II./NJG 5 og beholdt denne post indtil sin død den 5. marts 1945. Leickhardt tilskrives nedskydning af 14 britiske bombefly.

Wing Commander Walter Frame Gibb kom til RAF i maj 1940 og kom i foråret 1943 til No. 264 Squadron, hvor han opnåede en enkelt nedskydning. I maj kom han til No. 605 Squadron som flight commander. Han fik sit DFC i sommeren 1943 med følgende begrundelse: 'Squadron Leader Gibb has displayed great skill as a pilot during operations both by day and night. During one day he severely damaged 7 locomotives in France. On another occation, he led a section of 3 aircraft which engaged 2 Junkers 88's over the Bay of Biscay. Owing to his skilful leadership both of the enemy aircraft were destroyed. This officer has displayed great courage and tenacity'.

Wing Commander Walter Frame Gibb, der blev født i Port Talbot den 26. marts 1919. Han døde om 87 årig den 4. oktober 2006. Bortset fra hans indsats under anden verdenskrig, blev Gibb kendt for at bryde verdensrekorden for højdeflyvning, da han den 4. maj 1953 oånåede en flyvehøjde på 63.668 fod i et Canberra fly. Han slog sin egen rekord den 29,. august 1955, da han nåede en højde af 65.876 fod. Gibb arbejdede i mange år for British Aircraft Coporation og gik på pension herfra i 1978. Senere blev han bestyrelsesmedlem for British Aerospace Australia.

Herefter fløj han ved en række ikke operative enheder, før han igen i sommeren 1944 kom til No. 151 Squadron og i september videre til No. 239 Squadron, hvor han blev chef. I februar og marts 1945 nedskød han fem tyske maskiner og førte No. 239 Squadron indtil juli 1945. Gibb fik tildelt sit DSO i maj 1945. Efter krigen fortsatte Gibb med flyvning og sluttede som Chairman of British Aerospace Australia. Kendall, der var på hans anden tour som radarobservatør, fik sit DFC i april 1945. Luftwaffe mistede flere natjagere denne nat. Ju 88G-6 Werk Nr 622318 fra 3./NJG 5, der blev fløjet af Uffz Hans Dorminger, blev klokken 20.22 skudt ned i nærheden af Chemnitz, hvorved hele besætningen blev dræbt. Sydvest for Göppingen styrtede klokken 21.49 Bf 110G-4 Werk Nr. 160761 fra 11./NJG 6 ned, hvorved Ofw Berg og Fw Reinhard blev dræbt. Fw Eckermann reddede livet ved at springe ud med faldskærm. Denne maskine blev dog ikke skudt ned, men styrtede på grund af overisning. Ved Köthen styrtede Bf 110G-4 Werk Nr 180337 fra Stab II./NJG 5 ned. To besætningsmedlemmer reddede livet ved at springe ud med faldskærm, men den tredie, Obergefreiter Edwin Reuter, forsvandt efter udspringet.

Ved Gerolzhofen ved Brünnstadt i Mainfranken styrtede Ju 88G-6 Werk Nr 621077 (kodet 2Z+BV) ned, hvorved Hauptmann Kurt-Heinz Weigel og hele hans besætning blev dræbt. Weigel var chef for 11./NJG 6 og blev skudt ned klokken 21.58 af canadieren F/Lt Donald Aikins MacFadyen DFC og F/Lt Shail fra No. 406 Squadron (Mosquito XXX NT325 'N'). Mosquito NT325 var startet klokken 20.30 og besætningens rapport i eskadrilledagbogen lyder: Flower to Gerolzhofen, arriving at 2220, seeing Ober Olm and Biblis lit on way in and out. Kitzingen was also lit through out with Sandra and an arrow 4 miles NE of a/d pointing to it. At 2300 Schweinfurt perimeter lightning was seen. At 2310 a vertical S(L was seen at Gerolzhofen and right hand circuits were carried out at 300 feet. At 2315 a contact was made at 3½ miles crossing starboard to port and was followed in a port orbit, over the a/d. Three single reds were seen fired followed by a No. 7 sister and numerous bright amber flares and single greens from the a/d. the target turned off towareds Kitzingen and range closed to 200 ft identifying a Ju 88. A five second burst fired from 150 yards exploded the starboard engine, the e/a going down in a port spiral crashing in a river near Kitzingen. A bomber was seen crashing NE of Wurzburg. 3/10ths stratus over target, vis 4 miles, 9/10th cloud elsewhere.

F/Lt Donald Aikins MacFadyen, DFC.

MacFadyen stammede fra Montreal og kom til RCAF i maj 1940. Han tilbragte de første par år som instruktør, før han i december 1943 kom til No. 418 Squadron. I løbet af de næste seks måneder opnåede han en række nedskydninger og gik heller ikke af vejen for at beskyde fly på jorden, hvilket indbragte ham hans første DFC i maj 1944. Efter en tur som instruktør kom han til No. 406 Squadron i november 1944. I april fik han en bjælke til sit DFC og i maj et DSO. Han sluttede krigen med at få tilkendt nedskydning af syv tyske maskiner samt en mulig nedskydning, nedskydning af fem V-1 samt 5 ødelagte maskiner på jorden samt 1 mulig og 17 beskadigede maskiner på jorden.

Hauptmann Kurt Heinz Weigel blev født den 29. oktober 1916 i Stettin og var ved sin død Staffelkapitän ved 11./NJG 6.

Kurt-Heinz Weigel, der stammede fra Stettin, blev udnævnt til Oberleutnant den 1. juni 1940 og Hauptmann den 1. august 1942. Den 29. december 1944 overtog han kommandoen af 11./NJG 6, som han førte til sin død. De tyske myndigheder gav 'Bodenberührung' som årsag til nedstyrtningen, hvilket man naturligvis også kan hævde, når en maskine rammer jorden. De tre øvrige besætningsmedlemmer, radaroperatørerne Ofw Milord og Fw Antoni samt skytten, Uffz Graf, blev ligeledes dræbt ved nedstyrtningen. Hauptmann Weigel havde fire tilkendte sejre ved sin død. Weigel blev i 11./NJG 6 efterfulgt af Oberleutnant Martin Bauer.

F/Lt Ian Alexander Dobie og hans navigatør W/O Arthur Reginald Grimstone fra No. 85 Squadron kan skrive under på, at det ikke var alle Mosquitobesætninger, der var lige heldige. De var startet fra RAF Swannington i Mosquito XXX 541 'B' klokken 17.53 for at flyve en patruljeflyvning i området ved Frankfurt. Deres rapport lyder: '1944 South of Wiesbaden 10000 ft. 234 degs. Perfectos contact range 15 miles dead ahead. Blip flashing 'V' that is, blip appeared in series of 3 short and 1 long pulses chases about once every 3 seconds. Mosquito chased on 234 degs. At 290 IAS for 3 minutes without reducing range. Mosquito then turned onto reciprocal and after about 10 minutes chase on courses between 020 and 080 degs range was reduced to 10 miles, but could not be converted to AI. After a few minutes more target drew away again to about 15 miles range and Mosquito crew were about to abandon chase when the aircraft was hit, believed by flak. This was over Mannheim at about 2010. Markers red and green were seen above Mosquito which was flying in cloud at 8000 feet. This hit produced vibration. Mosquito took evasive action believing hit by predicted flak and 3 minutes later was hit again. Scanner became u/s and could not be switched off. At this time Mosquito was icing up and could only climb about 300 ft/minute. Returned to estimated patrol area, where fires were seen burning at Wiesbaden. Mosquito was illuminated by S/Ls several times while in the Frankfurt town area. Remainder of patrol was uneventful. S/C base 2045. Mannheim 2010 2013 8000 ft. Mosquito hit twice in succession believed by flak or possibly by bombs from above. Hole in upper left hand part of nose from flak or bomb hit at Mannheim full extent of damage not yet investigated'. Dobie og Grimstone var en uheldig besætning. De blev den 14. marts ved en fejltagelse skudt ned af amerikansk luftværnsskyts ved Koblenz. Dobie slap med livet, men Grimstone blev dræbt og ligger begravety på Choloy War Cemetery. De fløj denne nat Mosquito NF30 MV541 og fløj en støtteflyvning for Bomber Commands angreb på Lutzkendorf. F/Lt Dobie blev Pilot Officer i juni 1941 og fløj tidligere Mosquito XIII i No. 96 Squadron, hvor han nedskød 13 V-1 sammen med hans daværende radaroperatør, F/O E A Johnson. Dobie blev i december 1944 overflyttet til No. 85 Squadron. Dobie nedskød den 8. marts 1945 en Ju 88, hvilket var hans eneste nedskydning af et bemandet tysk fly i løbet af krigen. Oprindelig var No. 23 Squadron den 5. marts befalet til 'Stand by', men dette blev senere på dagen ændret til seks fly, der skulle flyve intruder missioner samt yderligere tre fly i reserve. På grund af tyske natjageres operationer over England de sidste nætter var alle Mosquitobesætningerne befalet til ikke at tænde nogen form for lys under deres taxi-bevægelser ud til startfeltet. Det bevirkede, at F/Lt Cooke i Mosquito RS608 ramte en Mosquito fra No. 515 Squadron (W/O W A Halstead), idet begge besætninger ikke var klar over den andens tilstedeværelse. Begge besætninger skiftede fly og kom med et par timers forsinkelse i luften. Halsteads Mosquito NS992 blev bedømt til at være så beskadiget, at det ikke kunne betale sig at reparere den, hvorfor den blev skrottet. Cooke's RS608 blev repareret og senere overdraget til det franske flyvevåben. No. 100 Group havde ordre på at flyve en række High Level og Low Level intruder missioner for at støtte bombeflyene til Böhlen og Chemnitz. Fjorten Mosquitoes startede for at flyve Low Level intruder missioner, hvoraf de tolv gennemførte uden nogen success. Tretten Mosquitoes startede for at flyve High Level missioner, hvoraf de 11 gennemførte deres flyvning. High Level flyene havde tre tilfælde, hvor de jagtede tyske natjagere uden success, men fik også mulighed for at nedskyde to Ju 88ere (hvoraf de kun rapporterede den ene som beskadiget). Ingen af Mosquitoerne gik tabt. No. 100 Group opgjorde deres intruder missioner denne nat således: Patrol (a) 3 Mk X and Serrate aircraft to patrol between the target areas at Chemnitz and Bohlen. Patrols to commence at 2145 hours. Patrol (a) (Target area) - 3 aircraft took off and completed their patrols. 3 Serrate contacts were obtained but lost on turning. Patrol (b) 1 Perfectos aircraft to patrol Frankfurt area. Patrol to commence at 1930 hours. Patrol (b) (Frankfurt) - 1 aircraft took off and completed its patrol. 1 perfectos contact was obtained leading to a 20 minute chase. This contact could not be converted and was eventually lost. Patrol (c) 6 Mk X aircraft to patrol given beacons and Bohlen area. Patrols to commence between 2030 and 2150 hours. Patrol (c) (Beacons) - 5 aircraft took off, 4 completed their patrols, 1 returned early owing to engine trouble. 2 Mk X contacts were obtained by 239/B W/Cdr Gibb and F/O Kendall, both leading to chases and combats, the first ending in a Ju 88 being damaged and the 2nd a Ju 88 being destroyed. Patrol (d) 3 Mk. XV aircraft to patrol given beacons. Patrols to commence between 2030 and 2130 hours. Patrol (d) (Beacons) - 3 aircraft took off and completed uneventful patrols. Patrol (e) 14 Mk XV aircraft to patrol given airfields. Patrols to commence between 2000 and 2115 hours. Patrol (e) - 14 aircraft took off, 12 completed their patrols, 1 returned early and 1 abortive. BSDU/H took off but returned early owing to electrical trouble. 27 aircraft took off. Claims: Ju 88 destr4oyed. Ju 88 damaged by W/Cdr Gibb and F/O Kendall of 239 Sqdn. Casualties: Nil

No. 100 Group indsatte følgende Mosquitobesætninger i løbet af aftenen: No. 23 Squadron Mosquito VI PZ170 F/Lt J S Rivaz & F/Sgt M Spender 18.30 - 21.50 Intruder Patrol - Munster. Light flak & searchlight active. Completed uneventful intruder patrol of Munster A/F from 1950 hours to 2018 hours at 1500/2000 ft. Very bright canopies of S/L seen at Munster and Handorf A/F. S/L coned A/C at Munster but no flak. White revolving occulting beacon at Nordhorn with a red and white light on each side. At N Texes or S Vlieland - 2054 hours - 1500 ft a single S/L exposed and immediately coned A/C. Suggesting radio control. S/L doused and at 5315/0445E 2056 hours small quantity of accurate light flak was experiened. Presumably from a flak ship. Owing to low haze details of ship could not be observed. Mosquito VI PZ107 W/O I Ritchie & W/O A Church 18.30 - 22.10 Intruder Patrol - Stormede, Paderborn and Lippespringe. Uneventful - no acitivity. completed uneventful intruder patrol of Padeborn and Lippespringe A/F from 2010 hours to 2015 hours at 2.500 ft. Neither A/F lit and no activity seen. near Norg 1932 hours 2.000 feet beacon flashing 'B'. S of Meppen 1940 hurs 2000 ft revolving beacon seen. No Ash contacts. Mosquito VI RS596 F/O J B Martin & F/O H V Hayes 18.35 - 22.15 Intruder Patrol - Gutesloh. Several airfields seen lit but no activity - flak experienced at Vlieland. Completed patrol as ordered. Arrived patrol area 2005 hours left at 2020 hours. Gutersloh A/F lit up as A/C approached out doused almost immediately. Beacon flashing 'G'. A/F's seen lit were Bielefeld, 2015 hours, Quakenbruck 1958 hours which lit as Mosquito approached Vechta, 2040 hours. S/L canopy seen over believed Munster A/F. Flak was encountered off Vlieland at approx 5315N 0450E 2120 hours from flak ship. No Ash contacts. Mosquito VI RS510 F/Lt H V Hopkins & F/O D Sheriff 18.00 - 23.45 Intruder - Hanau/Langendiebach. Uneventful patrol completed. No a/factivity seen. No Ash contacts. Completed uneventful patrol from 2020 hours to 2110 hours at 2.000 feet.

Pilot Richard Nathan og hans navigatør Ted Gosling foran en Mosquito XXX

Mosquito VI PZ183 F/Lt R F Cooke & F/Sgt S Gilbertson 21.40 - 01.35 Intruder - Biblis 2230 - 2345. Aircraft returned early owing to bad weather. 10/10 cloud. A/C returned early without reaching patrol area owing to bad weather - 10/10 cloud at all heights between 7.000 feet and 12.000 feet. Take-off delayed until 2140 hours owing to collision while taxying which neccessitated change of aircraft. Furthest point reached (DR) 4855N/0710E at 2317 hours 7.000 feet. No Ash contacts. Mosquito VI PZ313 F/Sgt J R Bird & F/Sgt J G Thompson 19.20 - 00.30 Inruder - 60 mls W of Chemnitz/Leipzig. No acitivity. Completed patrol from 2115 hours to 2200 hours 3.000 feet. Ash and Monica contacts obtained on bomber stream in Langensalza area 2110 hours, 6.000 feet. Gotha A/F lit throughout patrol, perimeter ligts. V/L 1 long bar NW end short bar SE end. A/F's intruded on were Erfurt/Bindersleben, Weimar, Rodigen, Kolleda Lucha and Langensalza. No activity was observed. Quakenbruck A/F seen lit 2038 hours and 2232 hours beacon flashing 'DK'. Leeuwarden A/F lit 2320 hours. Mosquito VI PZ288 F/O F L Heath & F/Sgt R W Thompson 18.10 - 23.45 Intruder - Ober-Olm. Light flak experienced. MT strafed at Worstadt - Claim one MT damaged. Completed uneventful patrol of Oberolm A/F from 2005 hours to 2115 hours at 1500/3000 feet. A/F fully lit E/W double F/P with V/L W end. As A/C approahced a green verey light was fired from ground and full obstruction lighting came on. All lights doused at 2020 hours but on again for 5 minutes at 2030 hours. Beacon flashing 'WO'. Saw bombing at Wiesbaden and both Mainz and Wiesbaden well alight. A fierce fire was seen at end of bridge at Biebrich. At Worrstadt 2110 hours heading S a MT vehicle travelling N was strafed from 2000/1000 feet. Strikes were observed all around vehicle which stopped and is claimed damaged. No Ash contacts.

No. 85 Squadron Mosquito 541 F/Lt I A Dobie & W/O A R Grimstone, DFM 17.55 - 22.55 Bomber Support Wiesbaden. Hit by flak. Intruder to Patrol J Frankfurt area from 1930 hrs. AI Mk X Monica VI Perfectos II. 1944 S of Wiesbaden 10000 ft 234 degs Perfectos contact range 15 mts dead ahead, blip flashing 'V' that is, blip appeared in series of 3 short and 1 long pulse chase about once every 3 seconds. Mosquito chased on 234 degs at 290 IAS for 3 minutes without reducing range. Mosquito then turned onto reciprocal and after about 10 minutes chase on courses between 020 and 080 degs range was reduced to 10 miles, but could not be converted to AI. After a few minutes more target drew away again to about 15 miles range and Mosquito crew were about to abandon chase when the A/C was hit, believed by flak.this was over Mannheim at abouty 2010. Markers, red and green were seen above Mosquito which was flying in cloud at 8000 ft. This hit produced vibration. Mosquito took evasive action believing hit by predicted flak and 3 minutes later was hit again and scanner became u/s and couldn't be switched off. At this time Mosquito was icing up and could only climb about 300 ft minute. Returned to estimated patrol area, where fires were seen burning at Wiesbaden. Mosquito was illuminated by S/Ls several times while in the Frankfurt town area. Remainder of patrol was uneventful. S/C base 2045. Mannheim 2010 2013 8000 ft. Mosquito hit twice in succession believed by flak or possibly by bombs from above. Hole in upper left hand part of nose from flak or bomb hit at Mannheim full extent of damage not yet investigated. Radar on 1912 N of Trier, 10000. Off Base.

No. 141 Squadron Mosquito VI PZ175 F/O J C Barton & F/Sgt R A Kinnear 18.10 - 00.15 ASH og AI patrol to Bohlen & Chemnitz. Patrol L Dora 20.30 - 21.30 hrs. Crossed in at 18.51 hrs. No hostile contacts. No type F. No commentary. Crossed out at 23.20 hrs. Mosquito VI PZ168 F/O R D S Gregor & F/Sgt F S Baker 18.20 - 00.05 ASH & AI patrol to Bohlen & Chemnitz. Patrol L Dora 20.30 - 21.30 hrs. Crossed in at 19.00 hrs. Patrol uneventful. Crossed out at 23.18 hrs. On patr4ol from 2032 to 2140 hrs. Radar switched on at 5025 0530 2040 16.000. Patrol completed as planned. No altitude line on Ash and nothing workable over 2 miles. No hostile contacts on Mk IV. Mosquito VI PZ358 S/Ldr H E White, DFC & F/Lt M S Allen, DFC 18.55 - 01.35 ASH & AI patrol to Bohlen & Chemnitz. Patrol L Dora 20.30 - 21.30 hrs. Crossed in at 19.51 hrs. No hostile contacts. No type F. No commentary. Crossed out at 00.50 hrs. No contacts whateer Ash thought to be u/s. Chemnitz 2200 17000 ft. Target seen burning furiously with large pall of black smoke up to 18.000 ft. Bohlen 2215 17000 ft, good glow from fires seen through cloud.

Wing Commander Kenneth Henry Penrith Beauchamp, DSO, DFC & Bar og hans navigatør F/Lt Leslie Scholefield, DFC. Beauchamp fløj ved No. 49 Squadron ved krigens begyndelse og fløj 29 operative togter med Hampden, før hans tour var ovre. Hans næste tour blev gennemført i tidsrummet september 1941 til august 1942, hvor han fløj 30 togter med Manchester og Lancasters ved No. 207 Squadron. Beauchamps tredie tour startede i juli 1944 ved No. 23 Squadron, men i september blev han overflyttet til No. 157 Squadron, hvor han fløj som chef for enheden indtil august 1945. Beauchamp kom i 1946 til BOAC, hvor han fløj som rutepilot. Beauchamp døde i en alder af 80 år i 1996. Som natjagerpilot nedskød Beauchamp to tyske fly, nemlig en Bf 110G-4 fra 8./NJG 1 ved Osnabrück natten mellem den 4. og 5. november 1944 samt en Ju 88 nord for Frankfurt natten mellem den 21. og 22. december 1944. Han beskadigede endvidere en Bf 110 ved Aschaffenburg natten mellem den 12. og 13. december 1944.

No. 157 Squadron Mosquito XIX TA401 W/Cdr K H P Beauchamp, DFC DSO & F/Lt L Scholefield 19.00 - 01.15 Chemnitz area - uneventful - 4 bombers seen shot down. Patrolling above the bombers they saw four shot down and had a fleeting visual on what was thought to be a Ju 88 attacking a Lancaster 2 or 3 thousand feet below. On diving to attack the tube became swamped with contacts from the bombers and the visual was not regained. Arrived on patrol at 2140. Just as first sky markers were falling on Chemnitz Mosquito was at 20000 ft. A sheet of cloud, tops about 10000 ft. Completely covered the target and was lit up by glow of incendiary fires as soon as first 80 dropped their loads. Visibility above the cloud layer was excellent and the bombers culd be plainly seen in shoutte. During the 15 minutes 2140 2155 4 bombers were seen shot down. One was identified as a Lancaster and the a/c shooting it down was believed a Ju 88. Mosquito was almos directly above this incident and attempted to go down and intercept the Ju 88, but the visual was lost and the Ju 88 consently lost among the heavy bombers. The other three losses seen were believed due to fighters, as little or no flak was seen. Bombers were very well concentrated 30 or 40 visible over the lit area at a time, in a continous stream. After a attack a huge pall of smoke rose from target area to 15.000 ft. Conditions were ideal for enemy fighters. Serrate IV was on throughout patrol. At 2205 3 chases were received Mosquito turned port but chaser ceased immediately. Little could be seen of 5 Group attack. Mosquito patrolled Chemnitz area to 2225 and then S and SW of target to cover bomber return route. S/C base 2245 from posn 5020N 1100E. Radar on 0530E 2015 - off base.

Mosquito XXX NT585 fra No. 125 Squadron, der var en del af Fighter Command og som i marts 1945 var stationeret på RAF Coltishall. I marts 1945 fløj denne eskadrille hovedsageligt defensive patruljer for at imødegå truslen fra tyske intrudere samt V-1'ere.

No. 169 Squadron Mosquito XIX MM635 F/O B Inman & W/O F R Melling 19.15 - 01.15 Bombers targets Bohlen and Chemnitz. Planned patrol between targets from 2145 to 2245. In 1959 hrs out 0022 hrs. Patrol 2145 hrs to 2245 hrs. No hostile contact but numerous contacts on bombers from 2140 hrs in patrol area D and on way home several visuals obtained. Attack on Chemnitz considered good and concentrated. Bohlen seemed to be spread. No interference apart from H 25. Mosquito XIX MM653 S/Ldr J A Wright & F/Lt H B Vine 19.20 - 01.20 Bombers targets Bohlen and Chemnitz. Planned patrol between targets from 2145 to 2245. Raining at base at take off. Medium layered cloud about 3/10th top about 12000 ft, From 20E medium layered cloud increased making up all 10/10th and persisted to about 80E from 80E to target about 5/10th broken layer medium cloud, Below 9/10th statu cu tops about 9000 ft. Lots of static in cloud. In 1950 hrs out 0038 hrs. Patrol 2147 hrs to 2240 hrs. No contacts apart from bomber stream at 2140 hrs. Difficult to state accurately success of attack owing to cloud but large glows of fires seen reflected on cloud and large columns of black smoke breaking through cloud at Chemnitz. Bohlen attack appeared spread. Tried Serrate Iv for long period in T/A but no distingwich able contact. Strong H2S interferncy all the way in and very bad in T/A making contacts very difficult to read. No. 239 Squadron Mosquito 30 NT361 W/Cdr W F Gibb, DFC & F/O R C Kendall 19.15 - 00.40 Bohlen and Chemnitz. Patrol K. AI Mk X and Monica. In 1956 hrs, out 0002 hrs. On patrol from 19.56 - 22.20 hours. Radar switched on at 0600E 2055 hours at 17.000 ft. Radar switched off at 0600E 2320 hrs 20.000 ft. Leipzig 30 miles SW 2150 hrs 15000 ft. Mk X contact ahead crossing port stbd 5 miles. Gave chase with contact going straight and level on a course of 150 (proceeding towards Chemnitz) closed to 1000 ft and obtained visual. Closed further to 200 ft and identified Ju 88 dropped back to 200 yds and opened fire with a two second burst. Strikes were seen on port engine and centre section resulting in a large flash and debris flying off. Mosquito pulled up over debris and met the slipstream which nearly turned Mosquito on back. E/A was seen to dive to port and visual was lost. At the same time the contact passed out of coverage and the Mosquito was hampered by the numbe of blips on bomber stream and not recovered. Claim: 1 Ju 88 damaged 2155 hours. Chemnitz (40 miles north) 2159 hrs 13000 ft Mk X contact ahead 15 degrees stbd 4 miles range. CVhased on a heading of 180 and closed to 3000 ft. When first visual was obtained against cloud with fires beneath. Closed right up and identified Ju 88. Dropped back to 200 yds and fired in all 4 bursts. Obtained strikes on three of these. Port engine and fuselage on first two and stbd wing on third burst. Debris coming off E/A went into a steep spiral disappeared into cloud at 9000 ft and a few seconds afterwards the glow of an explosion. Claim: 1 Ju 88 destroyed Cat A at 30 miles north of Chemnitz 22.04. One type F seen 2300 hrs SW of Giessen flashing D. No commentary heard. Chemnitz 2140 hrs 17000 ft. Very good glow from fires seen. Bohlen 2200 hrs 17000 ft. Bombing appeared concentrated and good glow of fires seen. Mosquito 30 NT279 F/O A E Churches & F/Sgt D A Moore 18.10- 23.15 Patrol K, Beacon 12, 2030 - 2100 hrs. In 1853 hrs out 2220 hrs. On patrol from 2032 to 2100 hrs. Radar switched on at 5040N 0535E 1935 16.000. Patrol completed uneventfully. Mosquito 30 NT349 W/O J E Gleeson & F/Sgt P J Sillers 19.45 - 00.55 Bohlen and Chemnitz. In 2032 hrs. Out 0015 hrs. On patrol from 2150 to 2250 hrs. Radar switched on at 0530E 2110 hrs 16.000 feet. Patrol completed uneventfully. Mosquito 30 NT315 F/Lt A J Holderness & F/Lt W Rowley, DFC 19.15 - 00.50 Patrol K, Beacon 11, 2145 - 2215 hrs. In 1959 hrs, out 0009 hrs. On patrol from 2145 to 2215 hrs. Radar switched on at 5040N 0530E 2035 16.000 ft. Patrol completed uneventfully. Mosquito 30 NT329 F/O C Rhind & F/Lt Follis 19.25 - 29.00 Returned early owing to engine trouble. No. 515 Squadron Mosquito VI 203 F/Lt R Jeffery & P/O J A Monk 18.10 - 22.25 This crew were detailed to patrol Kassel/Rothwesten Patrol area was not reached. Furthest point reached was 5100N/0900E at 2010 hours. Severe icing in storms, 10/10 cloud low with tops above 9000 feet made it impossible to reach patrol area in time to leave it at 2015 hours as ordered. No Ash contacts were made. Mosquito VI 457 W/O W A Halstead & F/Sgt C A Jones 21.30 - 02.05 Completed uneventful patrol of Hanau/Langendiebach airfield from 2328hours to 2345 hours at 3000/7000 feet. Aircraft arrived llte at patrol point because of late take off due to collision on taxying which necessitated change of aircraft. Airfield was not lit and no acitivity seen. Mosquito was in 10/10ths cloud at all heights from 3000 feet to 7000 feet with severe icing. In Worms area at 2320 hours at 4000 feet small quantity predicted heavy flak directed at aircraft. No searchlights seen. Mosquito VI 188 Lt W Barton & Sgt R Vallentine 18.10 - 23.35 Completed an uneventful patrol of Biblis from 2008 to 2118 hours in 3500 feet. No airfield lighting or activity observed and no Ash contacts obtained. Mosquito VI 961 S/Ldr J H Penny & F/O J F Whitfield 19.05 - 00.45 Completed uneventful patrol of Juterbog airfield from 2112 hours until 2211 hours at 3000 feet. No airfield lightning seen or activity observed. bomber Command's attack seen on Berlin, Leipzig and Magdeburg area. At 2109 hours many MT vehicles with unmasked headlights seen moving on autobahn running SW from Berlin area. Beacon at Quakenbrück flashing 'DK' 2308 hrs. Mosquito VI 338 F/Lt A S Briggs & F/O A Rodwell 18.30 - 22.05 Completed uneventful patrol of Dortmund an Werl airfields from 1957 hours until 2015 at 2000 feet. Werl was lit on approach. Four searchlights at Werl were exposed and intense light flak experienced. Dortmund was partially lit but no other activity observed. Vechta airfield also fully lit as was Lippstadt and Quakenbruck. White beacon flashing at Lieuwarden. Mosquito VI 341 W/O E W Adams & F/Sgt F A Widdicombe 19.25 - 00.05 Completed uneventful patrol of area north and west of Bohlen from 2116 hours until 2145 hours at heights from 2500 to 14000 feet. Patrol was curtailed owing to weather. Low cloud with icing and on being forced up, Ash equipment was saturaed with window contacts. No airfield in the area was lit and no actiivty observed. From Oschersleben area at 2150 hours at 12000 feet, saw bombing in Leipzig area with extensive glow in the sky. Mosquito VI 459 W/O L G Holland & F/Sgt R Young 20.40 - 02.00 Completed patrol of Ober Olm from 2230 to 2345 hours at 5000 feet. Airfield was lit at 2246 hours and one Bofors type gun was active but not directed at Mosquito. Monica contact was obtained in position just south of airfield at 2310 hours at 5000 feet at maximum range which quickly closed to 1000 feet, attempted to convert to forward contact without success. Flae echo suspected as 3 blips appeared simultaneously, the range changed erratically and during tight turns in cloud it remained at minimum range. Blip disappeared at 2355 hours. Ash contact were obtained in patrol area on bomber stream at 2234 hours well above Mosquito. BDSU Mosquito XIX MM684 F/Lt D R Howard, DFC & F/O F W Clay, DFC 17.53 - 20.20 Special Investigation Patrol Beacons Otto, Ida, Nightigall. Mk. X AI, Monica VI, Serrate IV. A/C was airborne at 1753 and set course 154 at 1828 shortly after crossing enemy coast in. A complete failure in the electrical system occurred resulting in dense volumes of smoke issuing form the Gee Box. All electrics was then switched off and fuses examined but these were OK. Pilot decided that course should be set for base with the intention of identifying across the North Sea when a failure developed in the VHF. Course was set on DR and a/c landed at Horeham at 1925. Later proceeded to Base and landing at 2020.

No. 100 Group var ikke de eneste, der fløj intruder missioner denne nat. Fighter Command var stærkt repræsenteret og som ovenfor nævnt nedskød F/Lt McFayden og F/Lt Shail fra No. 406 Squadron en tysk natjager i løbet af natten. Fighter Command opgjorde deres intruder missioner for natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945 således: Fighter Command - Intruders Low Level Time Up Time Down Remarks Rheine 18.33 21.45 Uneventful Rheine 20.57 21.16 Returned early. Weather Kitzingen 18.25 18.55 Returned early. Technical trouble Kitzingen 22.26 02.17 Uneventful Gerolzhofen 21.25 22.42 Uneventful Gerolzhofen 20.25 02.19 1 Ju 88 destroyed F/Lt McFayden and F/Lt Shail Sachsenheim 20.46 23.34 Uneventful High Level Time Up Time Down Remarks 50.07'N 07.03'E 18.21 21.39 Uneventful 50.07'N 07.03'E 18.20 21.35 Uneventful 49.45'N 08.30'E 21.14 00.50 Uneventful 50.07'N 07.03'E 21.14 Landed on continent 50.25'N 07.49'E 21.13 01.02 Uneventful 50.12'N 09.07'E 20.39 21.34 Returned early. Technical trouble 50.12'N 09.07'E 17.51 23.16 Uneventful 50.12'N 09.03'E 18.08 23.02 Uneventful Chemnitz Area 19.43 00.54 Uneventful 49.04'N 10.08'E 19.47 01.30 Uneventful 50.25'N 07.49'E 18.45 19.35 Returned early . Technical trouble 50.25'N 07.49'E 18.09 21.37 Uneventful 50.10'N 07.20'E 18.18 21.45 Uneventful 50.45'N 08.49'E 18.15 21.40 Uneventful 50.45'N 07.24'E 18.29 21.49 Uneventful 49.45'N 08.30'E 18.23 21.48 Uneventful Ovennævnte sorties var koordineret med Bomber Command og skulle være med til at sikre bombeflyenes operationer over besat område, men havde også til opgave at sikre bombeflyene, når de vendte tilbage til England. Efter Unternehmen Gisela forventede englænderne, at tyske natjagere igen ville forsøge at forstyrre landingerne i England, hvilket var det tidspunkt, hvor bombestyrken var mest sårbar. Fighter Command afsendte følgende Mosquitobesætninger i løbet af aftenen og natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945: No. 264 Squadron Mosquito XIII MM559 W/O Davies & F/Sgt Fisher 19.15 - 20.25 Front Line Patrol - uneventful Mosquito XIII MM455 W/O Pickering & F/Sgt Netherwood 19.15 - 20.25 Front Line Patrol - uneventful No. 151 Squadron Mosquito NF30 MM805 F/Lt H Turner & F/Lt M C Partridge 19.15 - 00.55 Bomber Support Chemnitz area Mosquito NF30 MM793 W/O L Cunningham & F/Sgt T L Williams 19.15 - 01.30 Bomber Support 49º13N 10º13E Mosquito NF30 MM804 W/Cdr W R L Beaumont, DFC & F/O R L Andrews 00.50 - 03.15 Local Bomber Support Mosquito NF30 MM791 F/O R V Brockbank & F/Lt G J Lane 01.10 - Local Bomber Support. Aircraft crashed on take off. Mosquito NF30 MM808 F/Lt W P Honeyman & P/O E A A Harding 17.55 - 23.15 Bomber Support 50º12N 09º07E Mosquito NF30 MV555 P/O R Oddie & F/Sgt R E Milne 18.10 - 23.00 Bomber Support 50º12N 09º07E Mosquito NF30 MM794 F/Sgt J Dunn & F/Sgt S Redfern 21.45 - 22.50 Scramble anti-intruder Op Trigger F/O John Richard Brockbank og F/Lt George John Lane startede RAF Bradwell Bay i Essex for at flyve en Bomber Support mission, da de umiddelbart efter start styrtede ned i Blackwater River. De to besætningsmedlemmer blev fanget i mudder og selv om man forsøgte at hjælpe dem, omkom de begge to. Eskadrilledagbogen angiver at uheldet skete i Mosquito NF30 NT475 og angiver følgende om nattens hændelser: Four uneventful high level patrols in support of the raid on Chemnitz and a further four a/c scrambled on anti-intruder defensive patrols. One of these, containing F/O Brockbank and F/Lt Lane, crashed into the mud of the Blackwater river on take off. The crew were trapped and despite strenous efforts from the shore and naval assistance they could not be reached and were both killed. It was a most distressing incident as the cries from the crew could be heard for an hour or more after the accident. No. 456 Squadron Alle fly på 'operational patrol' uden særlige hændelser. Mosquito XXX NT302 F/O J R Walters & F/O R A Woodman 19.30 - 21.00 Mosquito XXX NT311 W/O J Porter & F/Sgt C R Guest 20.55 - 22.25 Mosquito XXX NT269 F/O W A McLardy & F/Sgt P W Devine 22.50 - 02.20 Mosquito XXX NT387 S/Ldr R B Cowper, DFC & F/Lt W Watson, DFC 22.55 - 23.25 Mosquito XXX NT300 F/Lt H Smith / F/Lt D J Wiley 22.55 - 02.25 Mosquito XXX NT332 F/O J Darling & F/O K W Longton 22.55 - 02.25 Mosquito XXX NT363 F/O D T Hewson & F/Sgt J D Hutchinson 22.50 - 02.30 Mosquito XXX NT311 W/O J Porter & F/Sgt C R Guest 23.25 - 02.25

Mosquito XXX fra polske No. 307 Squadron

No. 307 Squadron Six Mosquitoes on High Level Intruder over Germany - uneventful. Mosquito XXX L.560 W/O A Steinke & F/O J Trzaskowski 21.10 - 01.10 Intruder over Germany Mosquito XXX K.289 F/Lt M Kobierski & W/O R Smith 21.10 - 01.45 Intruder over Germany. Landed Brussels. Mosquito XXX T.305 S/Ldr P Ostaszowaki & P/O J Bachluda 18.20 - 21.55 Bomber support over Germany. Landed Manston. Mosquito XXX V.561 P/O F Kern & F/O A Radwanski 21.00 - 00.55 Bomber support over Germany. Mosquito XXX Z.268 F/Lt W Griffiths & F/O A Heatley 18.20 - 21.55 Bomber support over Germany. Mosquito XXX Q.554 W/Cdr Andrzejewaki & S/O S Kaliszowaki 20.40 - 21.55 Bomber support over Germany. Landed Manston.

Mosquito XXX fra polske No. 307 Squadron

No. 406 Squadron Mosquito XXX MM741 F/O A T Sherrett & F/Lt K Mackenzie 18.30 - 22.45 Flower to Gerolzhofen, reaching patrol point by D/R at 2018 but unable to pin-point due to heavy fog and 9/10ths cloud from the deck up and returned. An ammunition dump was seen exploding near Coblenz on the way back. Mosquito XXX NT418 F/O W L Miller & P/O G Martin 18.30 - 21.45 Flower to Frankfurt arriving within thirty miles of target at 2038 hours at 3000 ft when severe icing was encountered limiting speed to 195 mph and returned, finding ice had torn fabric from leading edge of main plane. Solid 10/10th cloud from 06ºe. Mosquito XXX MM740 P/O D Macdonald & W/O S T Drury 18.30 - 19.00 Flower to Kitzingen, returning after take-off with bent weapon. Changed to another aircraft for re-patrol. Mosquito XXX MM734 P/O D Macdonald & W/O S T Drury 20.45 - 23.45 Flower to Saschenheim, in at Cap Gris Mez and to the Rhine at 2213 on D/R when return was made due to u/s Gee and unable to pin point being in 10/10ths cloud throughout the flight. Mosquito XXX NT447 F/O W F Kilpatrick & F/O R A H Allen 20.55 - 21.20 Flower to Frankfurt, abandoning patrol after take-off on report of icing. Mosquito XXX NT312 Lt S W Filkosky & F/Lt F L Hall 20.25 - 02.15 Flower to Kitzingen. Gee became u/s near Lille and proceeded on D/R but unable to pin point or find target and returned, out near Dieppe. 5/10 to 10/10ths low cloud.

Mosquito XXX NT325 F/Lt D A MacFadyen, DFC & F/Lt V G Shail 20.30 - 02.20 Flower to Gerolzhofen, arriving at 2220, seeing Ober Olm and Biblis lit on way in and out. Kitzingen was also lit through out with Sandra and an arrow 4 miles NE of a/d pointing to it. At 2300 Schweinfurt perimeter lighting was seen. At 2310 a vertical S/L was seen at Gerolzhofen and right hand circuits were carried out at 300 feet. At 2315 a contact was made at 3½ miles crossing starboard to port and was followed in a port orbit, over the a/d. Three single reds were seen fired followed by a No. 7 sister and numerous bright amber flares and single greens from the a/d.The target turned off towards Kitzingen and range closed to 200 ft identifying a Ju 88G. A five second burst fired from 150 yards exploded the starboard engine, the e/&a going down in a port spiral crashing in a river near Kitzingen. Mosquito XXX MM747 W/Cdr R Bannock DFC & Bar & F/Lt C J Kirkpatrick DFC 22.00 - 23.50 Scrambled to escort returning bombers, no hostile contacts. Fabric on main plane torn by icing. Broken 10/10th cloud. Mosquito XXX MM731 F/O W G Kirkwood, DFC & F/O C N Matheson, DFC 22.00 - 23.00 Scrambled to escort returning bombers over Channel at 9000 ft. Returned early with oxygen u/s. Broken 10/10th 800 to 9000 ft. Mosquito XXX MM745 F/O J H Wyman & F/O A G Wood 22.20 - 23.50 Scrambled to escort returning bombers, uneventful. Cloud base 800 ft and rain.

2 TAF natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945 2 TAF's operationer natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945 blev beskrevet som 58 sorties væbnet rekognoscering samt 11 interceptions patruljer, hvilket i alt giver 69 flyvninger. Den væbnede rekognoscering var rettet mod fjendtlig vej- og jernbanetrafik i området mellem Köln og OSnabrück og de de involverede fly kastede i alt 27 tons bomber. En Mosquito gik tabt under nattens operationer. Luftwaffekommando West, der havde ansvaret for luftforsvaret over vestfronten og området umiddelbart bag ved denne, fejlede at erkende de britiske indflyvningers størrelse. Luftwaffekommando West raporterede meldte om indflyvninger til længere inde i 'Reichsgebiet', men derudover kun ringe 'Fernnachtjägertättigkeit. Luftwaffekommando West mente, at omkring 80 fjendtlige maskiner fløj ind over tysk område. Det manglende overblik må skyldes kraftig jamming samt meget dårligt vejr, idet 2 TAF var ret så aktiv i løbet af natten og Bomber Command og Fighter Commands overflyvninger må også have haft en vis påvirkning. No. 2 Group havde ordre til i løbet af natten at genere tyske bevægelser for at støtte Operation Grenade og Veritable. Det skulle først og fremmest gøres ved at angribe de tyske enheder, der var i færd med at trække sig tilbage. No. 2 Group havde følgende som første prioritering: Task I to harass the emenys withdrawal by attacking movement on all roads esast of the Rhine between Hamborn A.32 and Rees A.05, which control the traffic over the bridges and away from the ferry sites as far east as Coesfeld A.67 and Haltern A.65. Particular attention to be paid to the crossings of the Lippe Canal between Wesel and Haltern. Task II To harass the enemy and attack movement on all roads east of the Rhine between Duisburg and Koln which control the traffic over the bridges and away from the ferry sites as far east as Olpe G.06 and Altena A.90. Som anden prioritet skulle Mosquitoerne fra No. 2 Group forstyrre den tyske jernbanetraffik på følgende linier: 1. Stendal - Hannover - Minden - Lönne - Osnabrück - Hengelo - Zutphen. 2. Magdeburg - Braunschweig - Hildesheim - Hameln - Lohne. 3. Braunschweig - Lehrte. 4. Hannover - jernbaneknudepunkt B.8858 - Herford - Hamm. 5. Rheine - Coesfeld - Dorsten. 6. Rheine - Münster - Dorsten. 7. Hildesheim - Hanau. 8. Wiesbaden - Köln 9. Warburg - Kassel - Marburg - Giessen - Limburg. 10. Wetzlar - Siegen - Köln No. 2 Group skulle også holde udkig efter V-2 jernbanetransporter og skulle derfor også angribe transporter på jernbaneforbindelserne Oldenburg - Leer - Groningen - Leeuwarden - Zwolle - Utrecht.

No. 136 Wing No. 418 Squadron på RAF Blackbushe afsendte 12 Mosquitoes for at afpatruljere fjendens kommunikationslinier bag ved fronten i området ved Münster. To besætninger vendte om før tid - den ene på grund af tekniske problemer og den anden på grund af vejret, medens de øvrige fly gennemførte deres mission. Mosquitoerne medførte 500 lb sprængbomber samt lysbomber i clusters. Sidstnævnte var beregnet til at oplyse mål såsom tog eller biler, hvorefter Mosquitoerne havde mulighed for at angribe med 20 mm maskinkanoner og maskingeværer. Mosquitoerne var frygtede af de tyske jernbaner, hvor lokomotiver ofte blev blev beskudt selv om det var mørkt. Datidens damplokomotiver udsendte gnister under kørslen og disse blev ofte opdaget af afpatruljerende Mosquitoer. En foretrukken taktik for de angribende Mosquitoer var at foretage angrebet forfra, hvor man fulgte skinnelegemet ind mod lokomotivet og beskød toget i hele dets længde. På denne måde udgjorde man så lille et mål som muligt for eventuelle lette tyske luftværnskanoner, der kunne være placeret på toget, samt havde mulighed for at beskyde toget i hele dets længde fra lav højde med raserende skudbaner, der kunne gennembryde flere vægge i togvognene. Hvis et tog var forsynet med let luftværnsskyts var det ikke tiltrådeligt at angribe mere end en gang. Mosquito VI SZ962 S/Ldr F A Montgomery & F/O G H Drew 18.51 - 22.44 Bombed railway line on DR NRO. Flares brought back. Mosquito VI PZ458 F/Lt K Moore & F/O J G Wilkins 18.52 - 22.58 Bombed Burgsteinfurt area on DR. Flares brought back. Mosquito VI HR195 F/Lt D G Lacky & F/O D M Wade 18.53 - 22.57 Bombs brought back due to weather and Gee failure. Straffed lights in Kelde area NRO. Mosquito VI RS560 F/Lt J S Johnson & F/Sgt P Doley 18.54 - 21.55 Returned early due to weather. Bombs brought back. Mosquito VI SZ976 F/Lt V R Cherry & F/Lt A D Birdsall 21.02 - 00.44 Bombed town vis (V6302) NRO. Flares brought back. Mosquito VI SZ965 F/Lt K Mason & F/O W R K Morris 21.34 - 01.16 Bombed on DR. NRO. Mosquito VI PZ394 F/Lt R R MacLaughlin & F/O D M Made 20.53 - 00.57 Bombed Meppen on Gee NRO. Flares brought back. Mosquito VI SZ961 F/Lt W L Drake & F/O K Gunning 21.32 - 22.20 Returned early due to generator trouble. Mosquito VI PZ454 F/Lt J McKitrick & F/O J E White 22.50 - 02.45 Bombed Lochen on Gee NRO. Flares brought back. Straffed lights - doused. Søstereskadrillen på samme flyveplads, No. 605 Squadron, briefede ni besætninger for aftenens operation, men på grund af det dårlige vejr og dårlig sigt blev to besætninger kaldt tilbage og yderligere fire startede ikke. Mosquito VI 'F' F/Lt R Moon & Sgt AW Davies 00.15 - 04.22 Bombed Aschendorf. Lights dowsed Mosquito VI 'E' W/O R Stoker & F/Sgt W Hebblethwaite 00.22 - 03.35 Bombed railway Z7883 - NRO. Mosquito VI 'Z' F/O R Wilson & F/O F Thompson 01.04 - 03.12 Recalled DNCO Mosquito VI 'K' F/O M R Hickling & F/O D Hutchinson 23.02 - 03.00 Bombed Burgsteinfurt on Gee - NRO. Straffed car Y9658 strikes. Mosquito VI 'N' W/O C Verbeke & W/O A J Verbist 01.02 - 03.16 Recalled DNCO No. 136 Wing affyrede i løbet af natten i alt 280 skud med 20 mm og 240 skud med .303 under deres strafing. Natten var ikke en af de travlerste for No. 136 Wing, men RAF Blackbushe fik travlt efter midnat da 13 Lancasters og Halifaxes blev omdirigeret til flyvepladsen og landdede i tidsrummet mellem klokken 01.20 og 01.58.

No. 138 Wing No. 138 Wing på A.75 Cambrai/Epinoy bestod af tre eskadriller (No. 107, 305 og 613 Squadron). Der var meget dårligt vejr over flyvepladsen samt over det område, som var udset som nattens operationsområde, hvorfor en del af de planlagte flyvninger blev aflyst eller omdirigeret. No. 138 Wing havde oprindelig ordre til at stille 24 Mosquitoes, men kun halvdelen af disse togter blev gennemført. No. 107 Squadron afsendte otte Mosquitobesætninger, der fløj fire forskellige missioner, der alle var rettet mod jernbanelinier. Eskadrilledagbogen angiver: 10/10 sc + cu - 2000'. NFT flown. Briefing at 17.45 hours. The OP consisted of four tasks, each being railway patrols. On account of bad weather, the last a/ on each task was cancelled (01.00 hours). Task 2 Area: Hamm - Herford - Inctn B8858 - Hamelin - Hanover A/C - T + N Task 6 Area: Warburg - Kassel - Marburg - Giessen - Limburg A/C - X + R Task 7 Area: Wiesbaden - Köln A/C - E + L Task 8 Area: Wetzlar - Siegen - Köln A/C - Q + P T abandoned task over Belgian Diver area due to encountering severe icing. N abandoned task at Nivelles through excessive vibration in port engine. X returned early due to Gee being u/s, after bombing railway SW Siegen G1247 with the use of this AID. R was diverted to Manston. E bombed stationary goods train of 12 trucks (loco headed north) RO due to flak from A/F in vicinity of target. L bombed rly tgt at Neuwied (F8104) on Gee. Q bombed M/Yard at Haiger G3488 on Gee. P called at 0035 requesting GCA + informed - not immedeiately available. to stand by for 30 mins + proceed to point Y. Contact was lost after 01.40. Two A/C had successfully landed with the aid of FIDO + GCA. Mosquito VI 'T' PZ376 F/Lt J H Jewitt & F/Sgt A L Gallantree 19.38 - 20.50 Abortive icing. Task 2. Railway Parol: Hamm - Herford - Inctn B8858 - Hamely - Hanover. Armament: 3 x 500 lb 11 sec dealy bombs + 1 cluster of flares. Weather: 10/10 3500' - 14000'. Severe icing. Mosquito VI 'N' HR246 F/Lt D P Hall & F/O D R Mallett 23.11 - 23.56 Abortive tech failure. Excessive engine vibration. Mosquito VI 'X' HR198 F/O R J O'Sullivan & P/O E T Harris 19.55 - 21.50 Abortive Gee u/s. Task 6. Railway Patrol: Warburg - Kassel - Marburg - Giessen - Limburg. Armament: As above. Weather: 9/10 at 3000' - 8000'. Moderate icing. Mosquito VI 'R' PZ403 F/O J C Balfour & F/Sgt W M A Mowat 22.50 - 02.03 Diverted Manston. Mosquito VI 'E' HR350 W/O W H Mitton & F/Sgt E J Wilby 20.14 - 22.10 Task 7. Railway Patrol: Wiesbaden - Köln. Armament: As above. Weather: Some clearance over Rhine. 10/10 elsewhere. W/O Mitton bombed goods train. NRO wing to AA from A/F. Mosquito VI 'L' HR254 F/Lt E G Smith & F/O R A Pratt 23.06 - 01.24 M/Yard at Neuwied F8104. Bombed on Gee. NRO. Mosquito VI 'Q' NT128 Lt D D Button & F/O L D Mellor 20.12 - 22.24 Task 8. Railway Patrol: Wetzlar - Siegen - Köln. Armament: As above. Weather: 10/10 3000' ASL to 9000'. Icing. M/Yard at Haiger bombed on Gee - NRO Mosquito VI 'P' RS533 F/O V R Bell & F/Sgt C G Davidson 23.17 - FTR Mosquito RS533 styrtede ned i Frankrig ca en kilometer syd for Marquette mellem Cambrai og Valenciennes, hvorved begge besætningsmedlemmer blev dræbt. Aanegmond Robert Bell og Charles Grant Davidson, der begge var fra Canada, ligge begravet på den canadiske kirkegård i Adegem. Den polske No. 305 Squadron afsendte otte Mosquitoes for at forstyrre jernbanetrafikken mellem Frankfurt til Fulda og Hersfeld. Hvert fly medførte en 500 lb sprængbombe samt et cluster af lysbomber. Vejret var i dette område ligesom i de andre eskadrillers område ret dårligt med 10/10 skydække og regnbyger. Selv om det var en polsk eskadrille, var der ikke mange polske navne blandt de besætninger, der blev afsendt denne nat. Mosquito 'A' afbrød togtet før tid på grund af alvorlig overisning, men de øvrige fly gennemførte deres togter, hvor de bombed byen Haiger ved hjælp af Gee. Mosquito 'O' bombede et motorkøretøj på position X0384, hvorved der fremkom fire eksplosioner og et rødt ildglimt. Følgende besætninger blev afsendt: Mosquito VI 'A' 202 F/Lt E Nuttall & F/Sgt W R Wills 19.50 - 20.45 Mosquito VI 'M' 982 S/Ldr P H C Hanbury & F/Lt J P Hart 19.35 - 23.20 Mosquito VI 'O' 232 F/Lt D C Marshall & F/O R N Fenn 19.45 - 23.10 Mosquito VI 'W' 357 F/O G A Baker & Sgt G E Arthur 23.00 - 02.15 Mosquito VI 'L' 559 F/Sgt M W Earle & F/Sgt R E Negus 19.50 - 23.20 Mosquito VI 'D' 391 F/O B B Benness & Sgt D Harford 22.45 - 02.40 Mosquito VI 'T' 191 W/O W R Everson & Sgt R A W Rudd 23.20 - 02.30 Mosquito VI 'H' 978 P/O W Banaszuk & S/L J Lagowski 22.35 - 02.40 No. 613 Squadron gennemførte fire night flying tests i løbet af dagen, men fik ingen opgaver i løbet af aftenen eller natten. Eskadrillen fik et tiltrængt hvil og fløj sin første mission igen natten mellem den 9. og 10. marts, hvor man afsendte 9 fly på operative flyvninger.

No. 140 Wing På B.87 Rosieres Santerre fik No. 21 Squadron aflyst alle deres operative flyvninger i løbet af aftenen og No. 464 Squadron, der havde fået ordre på at klargøre tolv fly til nattens opgaver, aflyste de ti flyvninger på grund af vejret og afsendte kun to besætninger. Begge besætninger gennemførte deres togter. Purnell bombede Pullach og Webster bombede ligeledes, men eskadrilledagbogen er så utydelig, at navnet på målet ikke kan læses. Mosquito VI NS862 S/Ldr F P Purnell & F/O L H Walker 23.55 - 03.00 Mosquito VI SZ956 F/Lt J F Webster & F/O M J Hilloughby 00.10 - 02.30 Hvis No. 21 og 464 Squadron havde problemer med vejret, så havde sidste eskadrille på Rosiers Santerre, No. 487 Squadron tilsyneladende ikke lige så svære problemer. De afsendte tolv Mosquitobesætninger, hvoraf fem fly bombede og hærgede de tyske kommunikationslinier. Et fly vendte om før tid og seks fly blev omdirigeret til flyvepladsen Epinoy, hvorfra de returnerede den efterfølgende dag. No. 487 Squadron afsendte følgende besætninger: Mosquito VI 'R' PZ449 F/O G Whincop & F/Sgt C W Harte 18.55 - 21.35 Bombed light on ground - no results seen. Mosquito VI 'Z' NT123 F/Lt D B Blackwell & F/Sgt C R J Falconer 19.00 - 21.15 Strafed light - went out. bombed road/rail crossing - no results seen. Mosquito VI 'Q' MM412 F/O J H Knight & F/O A G Bowers 20.00 - 22.40 Bombed railway junction on Gee - no results seen. Mosquito VI 'T' PZ339 S/Ldr W P Kemp & F/O E T Heap 20.00 - 22.25 Bombed Engelskirchen - no results seen. Mosquito VI 'S' HR182 F/O C R Pecock & F/Sgt T A F Ridout 20.40 - 23.35 Bombed railway on Gee - no results seen. Mosquito VI 'V' PZ330 F/Lt I G E McPhail & F/O G E C Reade 20.50 - 23.25 Abandoned - gee unserviceable. bombs brought back. Mosquito VI 'E' PZ332 F/Lt H A Breen & F/Lt G B Jones 21.50 - 01.05 Diverted to Epinoy. Mosquito VI 'J' PZ462 F/Lt R J Dempsey & F/Sgt E J Paige 21.45 - 01.45 Diverted to Epinoy. Mosquito VI 'D' NS964 F/O P T Buck & P/O A L Williams 22.30 - 01.35 Diverted to Epinoy. Mosquito VI 'H' SZ990 W/O R Cullum & F/O L H G Burgess 22.50 - 02.20 Diverted to Epinoy. Mosquito VI 'A' PZ402 F/Lt R H Blyth & P/O A S Nash 23.30 - 02.30 Diverted to Epinoy. Mosquito VI 'M' SZ985 F/Lt R S Angus & W/O S A H Spowart 23.30 - 02.30 Diverted to Epinoy.

No. 148 Wing No 148 Wing på B.51 Lille/Vendeville var ikke særlig aktive i løbet af natten. Wing'en bestod af tre eskadriller, No. 264, 409 og 604 Squadron, der alle var udrustet med Mosquito XIII. På grund af overisningsfare afsendte No. 264 (Madras Presidency) Squadron kun to Mosquitobesætninger på 'Front Line Patrol', der blev gennemført uden nogen form for hændelser. Følgende besætninger gik på vingerne: Mosquito XIII MM559 W/O Davies & F/Sgt Fisher 19.15 - 20.25 Mosquito XIII MM455 W/O Pickering & F/Sgt Netherwood 19.15 - 20.25 Canadiske No. 409 Squadron havde gennemført night flying tests med ti Mosquitoer, men vejrudsigten var så dårlig at alle operative togter blev aflyst. Vejropbservatørerne, som eskadrillen kaldte for 'rainy joes' var ret populære denne nat. Eskadrillen havde ordre til at have tre besætninger i beredskab, men der blev ikke brug for dem i løbet af natten, hvorfor eskadrillen fik et hårdt tiltrængt hvil. No. 604 Squadron gennemført syv night flying tests i løbet af eftermiddagen, men nåede kun at få et enkelt fly på vingerne for at flyve en patrulje over Scheldt, før vejret omkring klokken 20.00 lukkede sig fuldstændigt. Patruljen blev gennemført uden særlige hændelser bortset fra det dårlige vejr. Mosquito XIII MM460 F/O E L Vigar & F/O W A Palfrey 18.15 - 20.05

No. 149 Wing No. 149 Wing på B.48 Amiens/Glisy var udrustet med Mosquito XXX natjagere og bestod af No. 219, 410 og 488 Squadron. No. 219 Squadron gennemførte i løbet af eftermiddagen deres night flying tests, men fløj ingen patruljer i løbet af natten. No. 410 Squadron afsende i løbet af aftenen fire Mosquitoes på patruljer, hvoraf de tre gennemførte. F/O Broderick og F/O Bayliss returnerede på grund af et bøjet våben (andet stedt opført som defekt radar). Ross Macham Currie står i eskadrilledagbogen opført både som F/Lt og S/Ldr under den 5. marts 1945. Currie og Rose fik i løbet af deres togt kontakt med et uidentificeret mål. Currie satte efter målet, der fløj med stor hastighed og under forsøg på at følge det fremmede flys undvigemanøvrer trak Mosquito LV562 så mange 'G', at lemmen til nødudgangen blev blæst af. Jagten sluttede med at Currie ikke kunne følge det fremmede flys undvigemanøvrer, hvorfor det undslap. Currie stammede fra Winnipeg og startede i det canadiske flyvevåben i november 1940. I august 1941 kom han til England og kom i november samme år til No. 151 Squadron, hvor han blev udnævnt til F/Sgt i marts 1942. I maj blev han officer og blev udnævnt til F/O i november 1942. Currie blev i april 1943 udnævnt til F/Lt og i juli overflyttet til No. 410 Squadron, der var en canadisk enhed. Han fik dog ikke lov til at blive særligt længe i eskadrillen. Currie blev næsten med det samme forflyttet til 54 OTU, hvor han fløj som instruktør indtil marts 1944. Herfter fik han en ferie i Canada, før han vendte tilbage til No. 410 Squadron i juni 1944. Natten mellem den 7. og 8. august 1944 nedskød han en Ju 88 sydvest for Rennes og natten mellem den 31. december og 1. januar 1945 nedskød han en Ju 188 nordvest for Lieres. Begge nedskydninger blev foretaget sammen med F/Lt Rose. Curries radaroperatør, Andrew Haliday Rose, gennemførte to tours og fløj i alt 75 sorties amt tre Ranger missioner. Mosquito XXX MM788 W/O A G Cole & F/O S I Leon 17.55 - 21.00 From B.77. Patrolled the Bocholt area under Voicebox. Nothing to report. Landed at B.58 due to weather at base. Mosquito XXX LV562 F/Lt R M Currie & F/Lt A H Rose 17.55 - 21.00 Chase on unidentified a/c but contact lost in heavy evasive. Emergency exit blown off by force of 'G'. Landed B.58. Mosquito XXX MM812 F/Lt W H Vincent & F/Lt D J Yoo 17.55 - 20.45 Patrolled front line under Rejoice NTR. Landed B.51. Mosquito XXX MM758 F/O W Broderick & F/O P C Bayliss 19.30 - 21.00 Patrolled the Schelde area under Tailcoat. Returned early due to u/s AI.

Mosquito NF XXX fra No. 410 Squadron

No. 488 Squadron gennemførte en træningsflyvning og elleve night flying tests i løbet af eftermiddagen, men ligesom de øvrige eskadriller var de under påvirkning af vejret og gennemførte kun tre operative flyvninger i løbet af aftenen, der alle blev gennemført uden at komme i kontakt med tyske fly. Mosquito XXX NT34 F/Lt J A S Hall, DFC & F/Lt J P Cairns, DFC 20.15 - 22.15 Mosquito XXX NT457 F/O R D Bergemann & F/O K Bishop 20.15 - 20.50 Mosquito XXX MM816 F/O K Fleming & F/O K I Nagle 20.00 - 22.35 At besætningerne fra No. 488 Squadron ikke fik kontakt med nogle tyske fly var ikke så mærkeligt. Luftwaffenkommando West gennemførte ingen operative missioner natten mellem den 5. og 6. marts 1945.