172 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, 433, and 434 were joined by 52 Lancasters from 419, 428, and 431 squadrons on an attack at Duisberg. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 1,869,000 lbs of high explosives and 169,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports the target was cloud covered and the attack was scattered.
P/O L. Case and crew from 408 Squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-714 coded EQ-V, were attacked by a JU-88, many strikes were seen in the cockpit area and fuselage. It was seen to flip over and spin towards the ground and was claimed probably destroyed.
P/O A. Cruikshank and crew from 415 Squadron, flying Halifax III NR-156
coded 6U-H, were attacked by both an ME-109 and an ME-110. There were no
damages, but they claimed the ME-109 as being damaged.
F/O C. Williams from 419 squadron had a electrical problem. The load had to be released manually over the target.
S/Ldr. A. Plummer from 420 squadron returned early as the stbd inner
was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt. R. Green from 424 squadron returned early as the stbd inner was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O T. MacKinnon from 425 squadron had the stbd inner go u/s on return.
They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt. T. Layman from 426 squadron was hit by flak, there were holes
in the port aileron.
F/O G. Archer from 427 squadron returned early as the port outer was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt. K. Ellson from 428 squadron had the port outer go u/s after takeoff.
They went to the target and returned safely on 3 engines.
F/O D. Bell RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-288 coded AL-O, from 429 squadron failed to return from this operation.
F/O L. Watson, RCAF P/O W. Streich, RCAF P/O A. Thomson, RCAF F/Sgt.G. McGregor, RCAF F/Sgt. J. Kitchin, RCAF F/O G. Clarke, RCAF, and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-314 coded AL-W, failed to return from this operation. They were in a mid-air collision with a 578 squadron Halifax.
P/O C. Short, RCAF P/O F. Manchip, RCAF P/O G. Pare, RCAF P/O S. Ogilvie, RCAF P/O R. Nimmo, RCAF All were killed.
F/O E. Tuckey from 431 squadron returned early as they had a electrical
failure.
F/O A. Potter from 432 squadron returned early as the stbd inner was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O J. Kitchen from 434 squadron was hit by flak, not serious.
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