Action This Day

Eagle Day to Bombing of the Reich is a improved and enhanced edition of Talonsoft's older Battle of Britain and Bombing the Reich. This updated version represents the best simulation of the air war over Britain and the strategic bombing campaign over Europe that has ever been made.

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Re: Action This Day

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424 Sqn RCAF (Topcliffe – Wellington III) 29.1.43
At 10.15 hrs to-day this Squadron was told to detail 13 aircraft for bombing operations to-night. Primary briefing was held at 13.00 hrs and main at 14.00 hrs. 2/3 of aircraft detailed to carry 100% incendiary load and 1/3 to carry 2 x 1,000 lb, 3 x 500 lb or 1 x 4,000 lb H.E. bomb only. Time off set at 16.30 hrs and time over target 20.32 – 20.50 hrs. The target being LORIENT DOCK area. One aircraft was scrubbed at 15.00 hrs. Our 12 aircraft took off on schedule. The weather was bad at the start and remained bad all the way to the target. Visibility practically nil with 9/10-10/10 cloud. One aircraft reported snow at 14,000 ft. and icing at 11,000 ft. Several of our aircraft experienced engine trouble on this trip. One aircraft “L” piloted by Sgt Dugas jettisoned its bomb load at 17.18 hrs. position being 54° 15N. 00° 16W. The reason for this being the engine did not sustain sufficient boost. Another of our airplanes “U” piloted by Sgt. Cox, jettisoned 2 x 1,000 lb. and 3 x 500 lb. bombs due to engine failure. The port motor cut out leaving the English coast and failed completely after crossing the France. This aircraft turned back at once, the captain coming to the conclusion that he would be unable to reach the target under those conditions. Another aircraft also returned owing to a faulty compass. This trouble started shortly after taking off and this aircraft trunked back after reaching the Bristol Channel. This aircraft carried one 1,000 H.E. bomb and the latter was jettisoned safely off the South Coast of ANGLESEA at 21.02 hrs. flying at a height of 8,000 ft. On arrival over the target, visibility was so bad and with 10/10 cloud it was impossible to obtain a visual pinpoint. The target was obtained by “Gee” fix only. One of our aircraft reported heavy inaccurate flak, presumably by a flak ship, at position 50° 14N. 03° 27W. Because of the dense cloud over the target it was impossible to see and fires although a faint glow could be seen. Although target position could be obtained only by “Gee” fix, most crews reported that they were fairly satisfied that their bombs struck their objective. This complete operation as a whole appeared to be abortive due to weather conditions although all crews tried the impossible and everything in their power to make it a success. One aircraft “P” piloted by Sgt Buie R.C.A.F. found itself in trouble over the target. After dropping its load of bombs this aircraft had to do an evasive action and whilst doing so found out that I.F.F., T.R.9 W/T was useless and they could not call “Darkie”. The “Gee” was not working properly. After the evasive action this aircraft suddenly went into a spin as the engine stalled. Whilst in this spin the pilots escape hatch flew open and the cabin door twisted off its hinges. The escape hatch being over the pilot, and the latter being unable to close it allowed rain and snow under freezing conditions to enter the cockpit. After this aircraft pulled out of the spin at 7,000 ft., the navigator came up to the front and saw the pilots face covered with blood and dirt. The navigator almost froze his fingers trying to close the hatch and found it impossible to do so. Although flak was quite heavy at the time, this crew did not think that the aircraft had been struck but it must have been, because, after pulling out of the spin it was found that the two front tanks were empty, and about 50 gallons of petrol were left in the rear tanks. Nacelles were then turned on. By gradually reducing height and aided by a tail wind, this aircraft finally reached the English Coast. They climbed to 6,000 ft. and as the clouds were very thick and petrol very low and the wireless u/s it was decided to bale out. All crew landed safely, the pilot only suffering from slight shock. The aircraft crashed and burned near WINTERSLOW. Another of our aircraft flying at 13,000 feet at 20.18 hrs. was attacked by a twin engine enemy aircraft, which made 4 attempts, three from the port side, and the last from the starboard side. Our rear gunner fired a two second burst on each occasion. The last burst fired from 200 yards was seen entering the nose of the enemy aircraft. On returning from the target, this same aircraft was followed by two enemy aircraft, one of which made an attack on it from starboard. Evasive action was taken and the enemy shaken off. It was attacked again and the same action taken again with the same results. A few minutes later three enemy aircraft circling above our aircraft were joined by two more enemy aircraft. No attempt was made to attack. They followed our aircraft to the sea and gradually one by one dropped off. On arrival at the English Coast, west of BRIDGEPORT, only one enemy aircraft was left and the latter followed this plane 5 miles inland, apparently guided by R.D. All these enemy aircraft carried what appeared to be a white light in the nose. Of the total aircraft on this operation, one crashed and burnt, one was slightly damaged on landing. Aircraft landed at different R.A.F Stations in the County except two which landed at their home base. No serious injury was sustained by personnel, the only casualty being Sgt. Buie suffering from a slight concussion. He is to be discharged from Hospital in a few days.

BOMBER COMMAND
12 Bostons bombed a railway viaduct at Morlaix and 2 of 12 Venturas dispatched bombed a steelworks at Ijmuiden. 1 Boston lost.

LORIENT
75 Wellingtons and 41 Halifaxes of 1, 4 and 6 Groups. 2 Halifaxes and 2 Wellingtons lost.

Crews encountered thick cloud and icing and, with no Pathfinder marking, the bombing was well scattered.

Minor Operations: 17 Wellingtons minelaying off Biscay ports and 5 O.T.U. sorties to France also encountered bad weather. 1 aircraft from each operation was lost.

USAAF
MEDITERRANEAN: XII Bomber Command B-26s claim direct hits on an Axis passenger liner encountered during an anti-shipping sweep between Sicily and Tunisia.

TUNISIA: Three waves of XII Bomber Command B-17s attack port facilities and shipping at Bizerte.

While escorting XII Bomber Command B-26s in an attack against Tunis/El Aouina Airdrome, 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down two Bf-109s.

RAF
Base Changes
47 Sqn (Beaufort I) moves to Gianaclis
112 Sqn (Kittyhawk III) moves to Castel Benito
164 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Fairwood Common
245 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Peterhead
412 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Angle
421 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Kenley

First and Last Operational Missions
120 Sqn (Ballykelly) flies its last OM in the Liberator IIIA
403 Sqn RCAF (Kenley) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB and its first OM in the Spitfire IX
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 31.1.43
Weather: 5/10 cloud at 5,000’. Very sunny morning and good visibility all day. At 0815 hrs. Red Section at 30 minutes. At 0915 hrs. Red Section released. At 1708 hrs. Red section on readiness. At 1808 hrs. Red Section released.
Serviceability: “A” Flight; 7 a/c and 7 pilots: “B” Flight; 4 a/c and 4 pilots.
Note: While 401 was stationed at Catterick they had a detachment (4 a/c and 4 pilots) at Thornaby.

USAAF
EGYPT: In addition to his duties as Ninth Air Force commanding general, LtGen Lewis H. Brereton assumes command of U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East (USAFIME).

The headquarters of BriGen Auby C. Strickland’s IX Fighter Command is formally established at El Kabrit Airdrome to oversee the operations of USAAF fighter groups flying in support of the British Eighth Army.

SICILY: IX Bomber Command B-24s attack the ferry terminal at Messina.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command B-17s attack port facilities and shipping at Bizerte; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack Gabes Airdrome, and escorting 1st Fighter Group P-38 pilots down two Bf-109s west of Gabes; and many Twelfth Air Force fighters attack ground targets and directly support Allied ground forces, mainly in the embattled area between Faid and Gafsa.

82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down two Bf-110s north of the Gulf of Tunis at 1300 hours.

RAF
Base Changes
2 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk I) moves to Darragh East
4 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk I) moves to Darragh East
5 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk III) moves to Belindah
7 Sqn SAAF (Hurricane IIC) moves to Benina

First and Last Operational Missions
70 Sqn (El Magrun) flies its first OM in the Wellington III
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 1.2.43
Weather: 10/10 cumulus at 1,000’, with ground haze making visibility very poor. Clearing towards noon. At 0814 hours Blue Section (2 a/c) on readiness. At 0930 hours Blue Section released. At 1715 hours Blue Section (2 a/c) on readiness. At 1815 hours Blue Section released. In the afternoon several aircraft did some flying exercises with bombers from Dishforth.
Serviceability: “A” Flight, 2 a/c and 2 pilots; “B” Flight, 8 a/c and 6 pilots.

USAAF
TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command B-17s attack the port and shipping at Tunis and shipping at La Goulette; Twelfth Air Force fighters provide direct support for Allied ground forces in the Sened-Maknassy area; and Twelfth Air Force A-20s and P-40s bomb tanks and vehicles near Sidi Khalif.

P-40s pilots of the 33d Fighter Group’s 59th Fighter Squadron attack a force of fighter-escorted Ju-87 dive-bombers between Gafsa and Maknassy at about 0730 hours. During the brief running fight, four Ju-87s and an FW-190 are downed and others are damaged.

RAF
Base Changes
21 Sqn SAAF (Baltimore III/IV) moves to Sertain
414 Sqn RCAF (Mustang I) moves to Middle Wallop
416 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Kenley

First and Last Operational Missions
229 Sqn (Qrendi) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
241 Sqn (Souk-el-Khemis) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VB
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Re: Action This Day

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7 Sqn (Oakington – Stirling I) 2.2.43
Eight sorties were made to COLOGNE. Two crews abandoned the raid, as one of their Navigational aids failed, while Squadron Leader SMITH and crew, one of the Squadron’s best, were missing from this operation. Wing Commander MAHADDIE and members of his crew, were awarded decorations as a result of this raid, for bringing back safely to base a very badly damaged aircraft under hazardous conditions.

ADDENDUM – Stirling I R9264 MG-L. Crew: S/L WA Smith DFC MiD KIA, F/S RNB Booker DFM KIA, F/L B Martin RNZAF DFC KIA, F/S WJ Dempster RCAF DFM KIA, F/S S Quigley KIA, F/S JP Bragg RCAF POW, Sgt RG Newman POW. T/o 1926 Oakington. Shot down by Oblt. Robert Knacke I./NJG1 and crashed at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht (Zuid Holland), 13 km SE of Rotterdam, where those who died are buried in the city’s Crosswijk General Cemetery. Oblt Knacke was KIA later that night. From the wreckage of the Stirling was brought the first H2S to fall into enemy hands. An account of how S/L Smith tried to save his aircraft was communicated from his POW camp by Sgt Newman.

BOMBER COMMAND
61 aircraft – 116 Lancasters, 35 Halifaxes, 8 Stirlings, 2 Mosquitoes. 5 aircraft – 3 Lancasters, 1 Halifax, 1 Stirling – lost, 3.1 percent of the force.

This was a further experiment using a 4-engined bombing force with various forms of Pathfinder techniques. On this cloudy night, markers were dropped by both the Oboe Mosquitoes and the H2S heavy marker aircraft. Again the results were disappointing, with no clear concentration of markers being achieved and with subsequent bombing being well scattered.

The report from Cologne shows that damage was caused right across the city but was nowhere serious. No industrial premises were hit but the military airfield at Butzweiler Hof was struck by 6 4,000-lb bombs, causing ‘medium to serious’ damage. 65 houses were destroyed and nearly 1,600 were damaged but the report says that most of this was caused by blast from the 15 4,000-pounders which fell in the city. 14 people were killed and 63 injured.

A Pathfinder aircraft on this raid, Stirling R9264 of 7 Squadron, was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in Holland. It was unfortunate for the Pathfinders that the Germans thus obtained an example of the H2S set on only the second night that this new device was used. The set was damaged but the German firm of Telefunken was able to reassemble it. This gave the Germans an early indication of the operational use of H2S and eventually led to the development of a device, ‘Naxos’, which would enable German night fighters to home on to a bomber which was using its H2S set.

Minor Operations: 13 Halifaxes of 6 Group minelaying in the Kattegat but bad weather was encountered and only 5 aircraft laid their mines; there was 1 O.T.U. sortie. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
NORTH SEA: A VIII Bomber Command heavy-bomber force dispatched to Hamm, Germany, is recalled over the North Sea due to dangerous weather conditions at altitude.

TUNISIA: Separate formations of XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s mount a coordinated attack against Sfax\El Maou Airdrome; A-20s, escorted by P-39s and P-40s, attack an Axis munitions dump near the central battle area; and other Twelfth Air Force fighters mount many attacks in direct support of Allied ground forces.

In a morning action near Kairouan, 33d Fighter Group P-40 pilots down two FW-190s and a Ju-87. However, in several other fighter actions throughout the day, the 33d Fighter Group loses six fighters shot down or missing, and two others must be written off following crash-landings. The group is down to just 13 operational fighters, so it is hastily withdrawn to Telergma, Algeria, for rest, recuperation, and reequipping. (To accomplish the latter, most of the fresh 325th Fighter Group’s brand-new P-40s soon will be shifted to the 33d Fighter Group.)

P-38 pilots of the 82d Fighter Group’s 96th Fighter Squadron intercept a mixed flight of GAF single- and multi-engine aircraft off Cap Bon and down three Bf-109s and four multi-engine aircraft.

RAF
Base Changes
6 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moved to Bu Amud
302 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey
303 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moved to Northolt
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Re: Action This Day

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408 Sqn RCAF (Leeming – Halifax II) 3.2.43
Weather: Fair to cloudy with occasional showers with moderate visibility improving to good after dusk. Fourteen of our aircraft took off for operations the target being Hamberg. Four of our aircraft were unsuccessful and forced to return due to mechanical failure and bad weather conditions. All crews that reached the target reported severe icing conditions but were able to press home their attack. One of our aircraft is missing.

ADDENDUM – Halifax II DT680 EQ-D. Crew: F/L WA Black RCAF KIA, Sgt S Eardley POW, Sgt BG Howe POW, F/S F Waite RCAF POW, Sgt JA Taplin POW, Sgt JSA Aubry RCAF POW, P/O IG Imrie RCAF POW. T/o 1800 Leeming. F/L Black is buried in Hamburg Cemetery, Ohlsdorf.

BOMBER COMMAND
HAMBURG
263 aircraft – 84 Halifaxes, 66 Stirlings, 62 Lancasters, 51 Wellingtons – provided by all groups on the first 200-plus raid for more than 2 weeks.

Icing conditions in cloud over the North Sea caused many aircraft to return early. The Pathfinders were unable to produce concentrated and sustained marking on H2S and the bombing of the Main Force was scattered. The results in Hamburg were no better than the attack by a much smaller force a few nights earlier. 45 fires classed as ‘large’ were started, including 2 in various oil depots and 1 in a warehouse near the Elbe waterfront. 55 people were killed and 40 injured.

The German night fighters operated effectively, despite the bad weather, and 16 bombers were lost – 8 Stirlings, 4 Halifaxes, 3 Wellingtons and 1 Lancaster, 6.1 percent of the force.

Minor Operations: 8 Wellingtons minelaying off Lorient and St-Nazaire, 4 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Wellington minelayer lost.

USAAF
LIBYA: Two squadrons of the Ninth Air Force’s 12th Medium Bombardment Group are detached for temporary service with the XII Air Support Command in Algeria.

MEDITERRANEAN: XII Bomber Command B-26s attack Axis ships at sea between Sicily and Tunisia.

SICILY: IX Bomber Command B-24s attack the harbours at Palermo and Messina.

TUNISIA: Fifteen XII Bomber Command B-26s attack Gabes Airdrome at about 1100 hours, and 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots escorting the bombers down a Ju-88, two twin-engine fighters, and a Bf-109; XII Bomber Command B-25s attacking bridges north of Maknassy claim severe damage on one rail span; and XII Fighter Command A-20s attack tanks and motor vehicles in the northern ground-battle area and an artillery position and numerous trucks in the eastern Ousseltia Valley.

RAF
Base Changes
2 Sqn (Mustang I) moves to Bottingsham
199 Sqn (Wellington X) moves to Ingham

First and Last Operational Missions
234 Sqn (Grimsetter) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VI
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Re: Action This Day

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427 Sqn RCAF (Croft – Wellington III) 4.2.43
Nine aircraft were detailed to attack the submarine base at Lorient. The aircraft took off in two lots. Those carrying incendiaries first. Eight of the aircraft successfully bombed the target and returned to England. P/O Parsons and his crew did not return from this operation and are listed as missing. Photographs show that Sgts Johnson and Schmitt bombed directly on the aiming point, the only squadron on the operation with two aircraft bombing directly on the aiming point. Six aircraft landed at base – the other two landed at Long Manston and Church Honeybourne. F/S Riggins overshot at Long Manston but damage was very minor.

ADDENDUM – Wellington III BJ668 ZL-X. Crew: P/O CM Parsons KIA, Sgt P Sandover KIA, P/O AJB Thompson POW, Sgt AM Templeton KIA, Sgt HF Davies KIA. Hit by flak and crashed at Plomeur (Morbihan), 4 km WSW of Lorient. Those who died are buried in Guidel Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
TURIN
188 aircraft – 77 Lancasters, 55 Halifaxes, 50 Stirlings, 6 Wellingtons. 3 Lancasters lost.

156 aircraft reached and bombed Turin, causing serious and widespread damage. The brief local report states that 29 people were killed and 53 injured.

LA SPEZIA
4 Pathfinder Lancasters were sent to this Italian port to try out a new type of ‘proximity fuzed’ 4,000-lb bomb which exploded between 200 and 600 ft above the ground to widen the effects of the resulting blast. 3 aircraft dropped their bombs successfully, but this type of weapon does not seem to have come into general use. The Lancasters all returned safely.

LORIENT
128 aircraft – 103 Wellingtons, 16 Halifaxes, 9 Lancasters. 1 Wellington lost.

This was an all-incendiary attack without the Pathfinders. Bombing was concentrated and large areas of fire were started.

Minor Operations: 2 Mosquitoes bombed Bochum and Ruhrort, 1 Wellington laid mines off Lorient. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 323 sorties, 4 aircraft (1.2 percent) lost.

USAAF
GERMANY: Sixty-seven VIII Bomber Command B-17s and 21 B-24s are dispatched to Hamm, Germany, but extreme cold forces the B-24s to abort over the North Sea, and cloudiness over the primary target causes 39 of the B-17s to opt for attacking industrial targets of opportunity around Emden. The 44th Heavy Bombardment Group, plus one B-17, attacks an Axis shipping convoy it encounters in the North Sea, but without known results. In attacks by GAF fighters against the B-17s, five B-17s are reported missing, including one that is seen to collide with an FW-190. Seventeen B-17 crewmen are wounded and 50 are counted as missing in action. This is the first time that Bf-110 twin-engine fighters are encountered by USAAF heavy bombers in northern Europe.

LIBYA: In order to reach Axis supply sources and lines of supply with more efficiency, IX Bomber Command’s 376th Heavy Bombardment Group displaces forward to the El Adem Airdrome (near Gambut) from its former bases in the Nile Delta.

NORTH AFRICA: North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA) is created, and Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower is named as its commanding general.

TUNISIA: In the morning, 18 XII Bomber Command B-17s attack Gabes Airdrome and a landing ground west of town. In the afternoon, 24 B-17s attack Gabes Airdrome again, and P-38 escort pilots down a Bf-109 and an FW-190 during the second mission.

Advance elements of the British Eighth Army cross from Libya into southern Tunisia.

RAF
Base Changes
60 Sqn SAAF TR (Maryland I/II Baltimore II/III) moves to Castel Benito.
73 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moves to Gasr Garabulli
152 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Souk-el-Khemis

First and Last Operational Missions
15 Sqn (Bourn) flies its first OM in the Stirling III
127 Sqn (St. Jean) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
196 Sqn (Leconfield – Wellington X) flies its first OM of the war
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Re: Action This Day

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75 Sqn (Newmarket – Stirling I) 5.2.43
OPERATIONS. MINING OFF THE FRISIAN ISLANDS
Four aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with 1500 lb. mines. Three of the aircraft successfully planted their mines in the allotted area. All aircraft flew in cloud which was 10/10ths. from the English coast to the mining area. No A.A. fire, searchlights or enemy aircraft were seen. Navigation was very good. Stirling I BK617 captained by Sgt. R. E. Redding failed to return. There aircraft took off at 1810 and at 1943 a message was received that they had something to communicate to base, but this was never received. It was later reported the aircraft was seen to crash in flames off Cromer. Nothing further was heard of the crew, or aircraft although a thorough search was made by Air Sea Rescue.

ADDENDUM – Stirling I BK617 AA-D. Crew: Sgt RE Redding RNZAF KIA, Sgt RC Legge RCAF KIA, Sgt AJD Barton RNZAF KIA, Sgt H Dennis KIA, Sgt CG Philips KIA, Sgt WW Wilson RCAF KIA, Sgt PPD Freeman RNZAF KIA. T/o Newmarket 1943. Outbound caught fire in the air at 1,500 feet and dived into the sea some 2 miles off Cromer.

BOMBER COMMAND
19 Stirlings of 3 Group were sent minelaying in the Frisian Islands; 2 aircraft lost.

USAAF
ENGLISH CHANNEL: Six 4th Fighter Group Spitfires strafe and damage two German Navy corvettes and a merchantman. One Spitfire is downed by flak, and the pilot is declared missing.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command bombing missions are canceled due to bad weather, but some fighter units are able to operate in direct support of Allied ground forces.

RAF
Base Changes
303 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Heston

First and Last Operational Missions
69 Sqn (Luqa) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRIV
152 Sqn (Souk-el-Khemis) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
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Re: Action This Day

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165 Sqn (Tangmere – Spitfire VB) 9.2.43
Eight operation sorties were made, four on Rhubarbs. Sgt A.J. OSBORNE and Sgt. T.D. STEWART shared a locomotive (Cat. B) and OSBORNE also shot up a heavy lorry. F/O. R.G. LEWIS and Sgt. J.H. CURRY did not return from their sortie and the loss is deeply felt by all ranks. Both pilots possessed a high degree of determination and it is hoped they are walking home. The rest of the operational sorties were A.S.R. patrols to look for the missing pilots.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire VB BM450. Pilot: F/O RG Lewis KIA. Buried at Grandcourt British Military Cemetery.

Spitfire VB BM518. Pilot: Sgt JH Curry evaded. Returned to England, rejoining 165 Sqaudron on 1.7.43.

BOMBER COMMAND
21 Wellingtons minelaying between Brest and Texel, 2 Mosquitoes to Essen and Ruhrort. No losses. A map from Essen shows that the Oboe Mosquito’s bomb load fell just north of the Krupps factory.

USAAF
CRETE: IX Bomber Command B-25s attack several Axis airdromes.

LIBYA: IX Bomber Command’s 98th Heavy Bombardment Group displaces forward from Gambut to several Benghazi-area bases.

TUNISIA: During the afternoon, XII Bomber Command bombers attack Kairouan Airdrome. While escorting the bombers, Capt Newell O. Roberts, a P-38 pilot with the 1st Fighter Group’s 94th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109.

Twelfth Air Force fighters strafe German Army machine-gun emplacements and trucks in and around Faid Pass, Axis-occupied buildings near Mezzouna, and trucks near Station de Sened.

RAF
Base Changes
1 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Biggin Hill
12 Sqn SAAF (Boston III) moves to Sertain
66 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Skeabrae

First and Last Operational Missions
245 Sqn (Peterhead) flies its first OM in the Typhoon IB
603 Sqn (Idku) flies its first OM in the Beaufighter IC
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Re: Action This Day

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610 Sqn (Westhampnett – Spitfire VB) 10.2.43
A “black” day. On bomber escort to Caen (France) Squadron was “jumped” by F.W.190’s. S/Ldr. A.E. Robinson (supernumerary) F/O. L.A. Smith DFC and Sgt. H.R. Harris (NZ) all reported missing, while P/O. K.S. Wright managed to stagger home with an aircraft badly shot-up about the tail.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire EE767 “W”. Pilot S/Ldr AE Robinson KIA. Circus 261, engaged by Fw190’s of JG2 over Caen. Buried at Grandcourt British Military Cemetery.

Spitfire VB EE724 “T”. Pilot Sgt HR Harris RNZAF KIA.

Spitfire VB BL256 “R”. Pilot LA Smith DFC KIA. Seen to bale out over French Coast. Buried at Caen Military Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
12 Venturas bombed Caen railway yards without loss but the escorting Spitfires had a fierce fight with German fighters.

USAAF
MEDITERRANEAN: XII Bomber Command B-25s conducting anti-shipping sweeps between Sicily and Tunisia claim one ferry sunk and one badly damaged near Cap Bon.

SICILY: Bad weather forces IX Bomber Command B-24s to abort on the way to Palermo.

TUNISIA: Although bad weather forces the cancellation of bomber missions over the interior, XII Air Support Command P-39s and Spitfires strafe numerous German Army ground emplacements and motor vehicles in a large area centered on Station de Sened.

RAF
Base Changes
4 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk I) moves to Zuara
70 Sqn (Wellington III) moves to Gardabia East
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Re: Action This Day

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107 Sqn (Great Massingham – Boston III) 11.2.43
Operations were carried out. Two aircraft piloted by P/O. McCormack and P/O. Pineau were detailed to attack railway targets at Caen, Northern France. Both aircraft scored direct hits on factory East of Caen. Light flak experienced over target. Both aircraft landed at Ford to re-fuel. Two aircraft flown by F/S. Wallace and Sgt. Noble attacked railway yards at Sergeaux, Northern France. Target successfully located. Both aircraft made a second run and scored hits on Factory near target. No flak experienced and landed safely at base. Two aircraft flown by W/C. Carver and F/S Harrop were detailed to attack marshalling yards at Alkmaar, Holland. Evasive action taken to avoid shipping off Dutch Coast, resulted in wrong landfall. Extremely heavy flak was met from an aerodrome near target, two W/C. Carver’s aircrew receiving injuries (Navigator and WOP/AG). Owing to heavy defences and doubt of exact position both of these aircraft returned to base with bombs. The leading aircraft received many hits from cannon and machine gun fire, making base safely. Two aircraft piloted by F/O. Turner and Sgt. Burns attacked marshalling yards at Roosendaal in Holland. Heavy light flak was experienced right up to reaching target, which received direct hits from both aircraft. Flames were observed to break out in Sgt. Burns’s starboard engine by P/O. Turners’ crew and this aircraft was last seen as they both turned into thin cloud cover. F/O. Turner landed safely at base. Sgt. Burns did not return.

ADDENDUM – Boston III W8302 OM-J. Crew: Sgt WE Burns KIA, F/S WA Brown KIA, Sgt CA McNair INJ, Sgt DJ Searle POW. Hit by flak and crashed 1605 at Lagedonk (Noord Brabant), 4 km NW of Etten, Holland. All baled out at very low altitude. Sgt McNair died from his injuries on 18 February in Ignatius Hospital at Breda, and along with Sgt Burns and F/S Brown, he lies in Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
19 Bostons attempted attacks on railway targets over a wide area. 8 aircraft bombed various locations; 1 Boston lost.

WILHELMSHAVEN
This was an interesting and important raid. 177 aircraft – 129 Lancasters, 40 Halifaxes and 8 Stirlings – dispatched. 3 Lancasters lost, 1.7 percent of the force.

The Pathfinders found that the Wilhelmshaven area was completely covered by cloud and they had to employ their least reliable marking method, sky-marking by parachute flares using H2S. The marking was carried out with great accuracy and the Main Force bombing was very effective. Crews saw through the clouds a huge explosion on the ground, the glow of which lingered for nearly 10 minutes. This was caused by bombs blowing up the naval ammunition depot at Mariensiel to the south of Wilhelmshaven. The resulting explosion devastated an area of nearly 120 acres and caused widespread damage in the naval dockyard and in the town. Much damage was also caused by other bombs. It has not been possible to obtain details of the casualties from Wilhelmshaven.

This raid represented the first blind-bombing success for the H2S radar device.

Minor Operations: 2 Mosquitoes to Bochum and Hamborn, 36 aircraft minelaying from La Pallice to the Frisians, 5 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

Total effort for the night: 220 sorties, 3 aircraft (1.4 percent) lost

USAAF
TUNISIA: All Twelfth Air Force heavy and medium bombers are grounded because of bad weather, but fighter-escorted A-20s attack ground targets around Station de Sened.

RAF
Base Changes
5 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk III) moves to Zuara
33 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moves to Bersis

First and Last Operational Missions
164 Sqn (Fairwood Common) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
224 Sqn (Beaulieu) flies its first OM in the Liberator II
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 12.2.43
Weather: 7/10 cloud at 3-4,000’, visibility 20 miles, wind 30-35 m.p.h. with gusts to 55 m.p.h. from W. At 0749 Red section (2 a/c) on readiness. At 0849 Red section released. At 1405 hours red section on readiness. At 1420 hours Red section released. At 1736 hours Red section (2 a/c) on readiness. At 1836 hours Red section released.
SERVICEABILITY: “A” Flight 6 a/c, 6 pilots; “B” Flight 3 a/c, 2 pilots.

BOMBER COMMAND
16 Mosquitoes attacked targets in Eastern Belgium and over the German border without loss.

MINOR OPERATIONS
2 Mosquitoes bombed Düsseldorf and Rheinhausen, 38 aircraft minelaying off Heligoland and in the Frisians, 2 O.T.U. sorties. There were no losses

USAAF
TUNISIA: All Twelfth Air Force heavy and medium bombers are grounded by bad weather, but fighter-escorted A-20s attack Axis gun emplacements west of Station de Sened.

RAF
Base Changes
104 Sqn (Wellington II) moves to Soluch
114 Sqn (Blenheim V) moves to Canrobert
108 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to LG1 K1 (Iraq)
232 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Tingley
335 Sqn (Hurricane IIB) moves to Tocra

First and Last Operational Missions
218 Sqn (Marham) flies its first OM in the Stirling III
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Re: Action This Day

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426 Sqn RCAF (Dishforth – Wellington III) 14.2.43
It is with every real regret and a sense of personal loss that we record the Commanding Officer of 426 Squadron has been posted as “Missing”. Admired and respected by all, it will be with difficulty, but with increased resolution, that we shall carry on the work of the Squadron which he built from nothing in four months with much care and wisdom.
At 10.00 hours Operations room informed us that six crews were required for operations. Crews who had not flown on the two previous night in succession were selected. At 14.00 hours the C.O. again ascertained that only six crews were needed. The crews were briefed in the afternoon the target COLOGNE. Meteorological experts forecast 8-10/10 cloud cover at 5000’ over the target and a method of dropping bombs into a concentration of flares dropped by P.F.F. was adopted. One a/c failed to take-off, owing to an electrical break-down. The remaining 5 a/c took-off in perfect order within two minutes. Two a/c X.3699 and X.3461 returned early, the former with “S” blower u/s, the latter with four rear and one front gun jammed.
Two a/c reached the target area, and bombed according to plan. Load 690 x 4 lb. incendiaries 30 x 4 lb. “X” type incendiaries, 8 x 30 lb. incendiaries. The P.F.F. did good work and although the target was completely covered by cloud, the operation was successful.
Wellington X3420 took-off at 18.06 and nothing has been heard of it since.

ADDENDUM – Wellington III X3420 OW-? Crew: W/C SS Blanchard RCAF KIA, Sgt KW Tutton RCAF KIA, P/O PW Jeanneret RCAF KIA, Sgt PM Corley KIA, Sgt AG Longwell RCAF KIA, F/S JH Eveline RCAF KIA. T/o 1806 Dishforth, shot down by Oblt. Manfred Meurer (14th victory) 3./NJG1, near Heel 5 km W. Roermond at 2106. All were originally taken to Venlo for burial, since then there remains have been interred in Jonkerbos War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
10 Mosquitoes to Tours railway yards, which were accurately bombed by 6 aircraft without loss.

COLOGNE
243 aircraft – 90 Halifaxes, 85 Wellingtons, 68 Stirlings. 9 aircraft – 3 of each type – lost, 3.7 percent of the force.

The Pathfinder marking was again based on sky-markers dropped by H2S but it was only of limited success. 218 aircraft claimed to have bombed Cologne but local records suggest that less than 50 aircraft hit the target, mostly in the western districts. 2 industrial, 2 agricultural and 97 domestic premises were destroyed. 51 civilians were killed and 135 injured and 25 French workers died when their barracks at an old fort on the western outskirts of Cologne were bombed.

MILAN
142 Lancasters of 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked Milan and carried out concentrated bombing in good visibility. Fires could be seen from 100 miles away on the return flight. No report is available from Milan.

Italian defences were usually weak and only 2 Lancasters were lost on this raid. An unusual story is available, however, about a Lancaster of 101 Squadron, which was attacked by an Italian CR42 fighter just after bombing the target. The Lancaster was set on fire and the two gunners were both seriously injured, although they claimed to have shot down the fighter. The pilot, Sergeant I. H. Hazard, had to dive 8,000 ft to put out the fire and 1 member of the crew mistook instructions and baled out. The remainder of the crew completed the extinguishing of the fire, tended the wounded and eventually reached England. The only officer in the crew, Pilot Officer F. W. Gates the wireless operator, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Sergeant Hazard and the other members of the crew who helped to bring the Lancaster home all received Conspicuous Gallantry Medals, an unusually high number of awards of this decoration.

Sergeant Hazard died with his flight engineer and navigator when their Lancaster crashed in a flying accident in Yorkshire less than a month after the Milan incident, and Pilot Officer Gates died when the Lancaster in which he was flying, with another crew, crashed when returning from Dortmund on 5 May 1943; the two air gunners in the crew appear to have survived the war.

4 Pathfinder Lancasters bombed La Spezia docks without loss.

Total effort for the night: 389 sorties, 11 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost.

The quantity of bombs carried by Bomber Command so far in the war reached 100,000 tons during this night’s operations.

USAAF
MEDITERRANEAN: XII Bomber Command B-25s on an anti-shipping sweep fail to locate any targets.

NORTH SEA: Seventy-four VIII Bomber Command B-17s bound for Hamm, Germany, abort in the face of bad weather.

TUNISIA: German Army forces mount a major counterattack against U.S. and Free French ground forces around Faid Pass. All Twelfth Air Force heavy and medium bombers are grounded by bad weather, but fighters strafe ground targets in a large area centered on Station de Sened and attack tanks and trucks near Sidi Saad. Also, Twelfth Air Force A-20s bomb tanks in Faid Pass, the town of Maknassy, and the rail yard at Station de Sened.

During the evening, as a result of lightning German and Italian advances on the ground, the Twelfth Air Force begins to evacuate forward air bases.

RAF
Base Changes
37 Sqn (Wellington IC) moves to Gardabia East
49 Sqn SAAF TR (Hurricane IIB) moves to El Assa
104 Sqn (Wellington II) moves to Gardabia Main
120 Sqn (Liberator I/III) moves to Aldergrove
220 Sqn (Fortress II) moves to Aldergrove
260 Sqn (Kittyhawk II/III) moves to El Assa
462 Sqn RAF (Halifax II) moves to Gardabia Main

First and Last Operational Missions
424 Sqn RCAF (Topcliffe) flies its first OM in the Wellington X
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 15.2.43
At 0744 Red section (2 a/c) on readiness, Yellow section 30 minutes. At 0900 Yellow section (2 a/c) 15 minutes. At 1840 hours both sections released.
Serviceability: 4 a/c and 4 pilots.

BOMBER COMMAND
23 Bostons attacked Dunkirk harbour, claiming hits on ships, and 12 Mosquitoes bombed railway workshops at Tours. No aircraft lost.

6 Oboe Mosquitoes bombed Essen, Rheinhausen and the German night-fighter airfield at St-Trond; a map from Essen shows that bombs were dropped on the southern part of the Krupps factory. 4 Stirlings laid mines in the River Gironde and 2 O.T.U. Wellingtons dropped leaflets over France. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Twenty-one B-24s from the 44th Heavy Bombardment Group and one squadron of the 93d Heavy Bombardment Group attack the port of Dunkirk with 62 tons of bombs. GAF fighters and flak down two B-24s and damage eight, of which one that crash-lands has to be written off. Crew losses are one killed and 24 missing.

ITALY: IX Bomber Command B-24s attacking Naples harbor claim two direct hits on Axis ships.

SICILY: Nineteen XII Bomber Command B-17s attack shipping and port facilities at Palermo.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Kairouan Airdrome at about 1450 hours, and 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down three GAF fighters. 2dLt William J. Sloan, a P-38 pilot with the 82d Fighter Group’s 96th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109.

The 350th Fighter Group’s 346th Fighter Squadron, in P-39s, enters combat and scores its first aerial victories (two Bf-109s) over Thelepte Airdrome in the morning; and 31st Fighter Group Spitfire pilots down four GAF fighters in two separate engagements.

Despite extensive assistance by numerous close-support aircraft, Allied ground forces are pushed back in many places along a broad front, and the forward base at Sbeitla is abandoned.

RAF
Base Changes
3 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk II) moves to El Assa
40 Sqn (Wellington IC) moves to Gardabia East
73 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moves to El Assa
87 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moves to Setif/Tahir
92 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Castel Benito
112 Sqn (Kittyhawk III) moves to El Assa
250 Sqn (Kittyhawk III) moves to El Assa
253 Sqn (Hurricane IIC) moves to Jemappes
255 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Setif
450 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk III) moves to El Assa
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Martlesham Heath

First and Last Operational Missions
88 Sqn (Oulton) flies its last OM in the Boston III
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Re: Action This Day

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90 Sqn (Ridgewell – Stirling I) 16.2.43
5 Stirling Mark I and one Stirling Mk.3 detailed to attack LORIENT. Of these 4 a/c attacked LORIENT between 20.55 and 21.08 hours from 12,000 to 8,000 feet dropping 20 x 1,000 GP, 96 x 30 lbs, 2538 x 4 lbs. 162 x 4 lbs. “X”. Weather was good with ¾ moon o/10th cloud and good visibility. Aircraft were able to identify estuary to North of town and docks. White flares of P.F.F. were seen over the town and docks also Red T.I. markers on Keroman to South Coast. Most a/c arrived at LORIENT before flares were dropped, that incendiaries were seen burning and fires starting in town and dock area. 2 a/c saw their bombs burst believed on aiming point. 1 aircraft returned early as he had started 6 minutes after deadline time and lost 11 minutes on his way down the coast, bringing his bombs back to base. One aircraft crashed at Blandford, 4 crew being killed.4 a/c attempted photos. One a/c did not take off.

ADDENDUM – Stirling I R9306 WP-J. Crew: F/O JS Brydon RCAF KIA, Sgt JO Rodger, WO2 WK Rosenbury RCAF KIA, F/O NJP Hartney RCAF KIA, F/S WC Morton RCAF KIA, Sgt WA Hurn INJ, Sgt ER Evans. T/o 1859 Ridgewell. Homebound, both starboard engines failed. The order to abandon was given but only three were able to do so before the Stirling crashed 2305 on Bold Barrow Hill, W of Blandford Forum, Dorset. All four Canadians rest in Blandford Cemetery, Pimperne.

BOMBER COMMAND
LORIENT
377 aircraft – 131 Lancasters, 103 Halifaxes, 99 Wellingtons, 44 Stirlings – carried out the last large raid in this series on Lorient. 363 aircraft dropped mainly incendiary loads in clear visibility. 1 Lancaster lost.

Bomber Command had flown 1,853 sorties in 8 ‘area’ raids in response to direct instructions from the Air Ministry. 1,675 aircraft claimed to have bombed Lorient during these raids, dropping nearly 4,000 tons of bombs. 24 aircraft – 1.3 percent of those dispatched – were lost. Few records are available from Lorient but it is known that the town was now almost completely ruined and deserted.

Minor Operations: 32 aircraft minelaying off Brest and St-Nazaire, 4 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

Total effort for the night: 413 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Following the collision and loss of two B-24s and 20 crewmen over the English Channel, 59 VIII Bomber Command B-17s and six B-24s attack the St.-Nazaire port facilities with 160 tons of bombs shortly before 1100 hours. GAF fighter opposition, which is considered heavy, accounts for six B-17s downed and 28 B-17s and two B-24s damaged, against claims by bomber gunners amounting to 20 GAF fighters downed and 12 probably downed. Overall USAAF crew losses, counting the 20 men lost in the collision, are one killed, seven wounded, and 80 missing. Returning B-17 crews of the 91st Heavy Bombardment Group report seeing two GAF fighters dropping what are thought to be experimental time-delay fragmentation bombs on their unit’s formation.

MEDITERRANEAN: XII Bomber Command B-25s dispatched on anti-shipping sweeps abort in the face of bad weather.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command cancels all pending medium and heavy bomber operations because of bad weather. However, Twelfth Air Force A-20s attack German Army gun positions near Sidi bou Zid in support of Allied ground forces, and many USAAF fighters attack German Army troop concentrations and vehicles around Gafsa.

RAF
Base Changes
601 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Castel Benito

First and Last Operational Missions
86 Sqn (Thorney Island) flies its first OM in the Liberator III
214 Sqn (Chedburgh) flies its first OM in the Stirling III
502 Sqn (St. Eval) flies its last OM in the Whitley VII
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Re: Action This Day

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214 Sqn (Chedburgh – Stirling I) 17.2.43
The Squadron was ordered to garden tonight, some a/c being on DEODARS and some on FURZE.

DEODARS
3 Stirlings MK.I detailed. 3 Stirlings MK.I attacked primary (one, “C” crashed at WINCHESTER). 3/3 Stirlings planted 12 mines in allotted position at 2120 – 2200hrs. from 4900 – 1000ft. in good visibility. No cloud was experienced by the first 2 A/C, but the third met 4/10 patchy cloud base 4000 – 5000 ft. There was bright moonlight. Pinpoints were made from ILE D’OLERON and POINT DE LA NEGADE.

FURZE
3 Stirlings MK.I detailed. 2 Stirling MK.I attacked primary (one “X”, landed at EXETER.) 1 Stirling MK.I brought mines back owing to engine trouble. The Stirlings dropped 6 mines in the allotted positions at 2156 – 2201hrs. from 3000 – 1200ft. pinpointing from CAP HIGUER. Visibility was good with 8/10 strato cumulus base 5000ft.
ADDENDUM – Stirling I R9163 BU-C. Crew: Sgt JR Rundle RNZAF KIA, Sgt HG Claridge, Sgt JC Chalmers, Sgt LG Wright, Sgt TJ Wilson, Sgt JE Flack, Sgt HA Wilson. T/o Chedburgh and set course for the Gironde estuary. Homebound, ran low on fuel and was abandoned roughly 4 miles N of Alton, Hampshire. Sgt Rundle is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
12 Venturas to Dunkirk but the target was not reached, 6 Wellingtons on cloud-cover raids to Emden which was bombed by 3 aircraft. There were no losses.

2 Mosquitoes to Bochum and Hamborn, 12 Stirlings minelaying in southern Biscay.

USAAF
ENGLAND: Col Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., forms the 101st Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing. The new provisional headquarters, formed under the authority of the Eighth Air Force, will more directly oversee the operations of several B-17 groups than can the burgeoning 1st Heavy Bombardment Wing, of which it will be a subunit. At the time of his transfer, Armstrong is promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

The 91st and 306th Heavy Bombardment groups are assigned to the 101st Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing.

NORTH AFRICA: The Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) is formed under RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur W. Tedder. It is a unified command with control over all the Allied air forces based in the region: the USAAF’s Ninth and Twelfth air forces; the RAF’s Eastern Air Command; the RAF’s Middle East Air Command (later redesignated RAF Middle East); and RAF units at Gibraltar and Malta. Also formed to handle the bulk of operational oversight directly beneath MAC is the new Northwest African Air Force (NAAF), which displaces the short-lived Allied Air Forces but which retains LtGen Carl Spaatz as its commanding general. NAAF initially consists of the Twelfth Air Force, the RAF’s Eastern Air Command, and the RAF’s Western Desert Air Force (supporting the British Eighth Army). In reality, when Spaatz commandeers the entire Twelfth Air Force headquarters organization, the Twelfth Air Force becomes a paper organization with Spaatz as its de facto commander.

SARDINIA: More than 40 XII Bomber Command B-17s attack Elmas Airdrome, and B-25s and B-26s attack Villacidro and Decimomannu airdromes. Two Italian Air Force aircraft are downed by 1st and 82d Fighter group P-38 pilots escorting the bombers.

TUNISIA: Twelfth Air Force A-20s and fighters mount numerous attacks in direct support of Allied ground forces in the Sbeitla-Kasserine-Feriana area.

The two forward fighter strips at Thelepte Airdrome are abandoned in the face of intense pressure on the ground by Axis forces. The precipitous withdrawal forces the destruction of 18 aircraft that are unable because of mechanical problems to fly out, and 60,000 gallons of fuel are pumped onto the ground from storage tanks.

Displaced by the abandonment of Thelepte Airdrome, two 47th Light Bombardment Group A-20 squadrons pull back to Youks-les-Bains, Algeria; 31st Fighter Group Spitfires move back to Tebessa, Algeria; two squadrons of 81st Fighter Group P-39s move back to Le Kouif, Algeria; two squadrons of 52d Fighter Group Spitfires move back to Youks-les-Bains and Telergma, Algeria.

RAF
Base Changes
14 Sqn (Marauder I) moves to Berka III

First and Last Operational Missions
451 Sqn RAAF (Idku) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VC
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Re: Action This Day

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419 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Halifax II) 18.2.43
The STATION COMMANDER called a Parade of all Personnel at 08:00 hours, for the purpose of carrying out a Respirator Drill.

Eight aircraft carried out mining operations in the vicinity of the FRISIAN ISLANDS, and three aircraft attacked WILHELMSHAVEN. One aircraft failed to return from the mining operations.

ADDENDUM – Halifax II DT639 VR-B. Crew: F/S BA Lavasseur RCAF KIA, Sgt WA Robinson RCAF KIA, Sgt GA Lloyd KIA, Sgt JW Grant, Sgt HT Jacobsen RCAF KIA, Sgt RP Wilson RCAF KIA, F/S WR Gray RCAF KIA. T/o 1751 Middleton St. George. Shot down by Fw. Helmut Schuppan (1st victory) 2./NJG3 into the sea 17 km N Borkum at 2010 hours.

BOMBER COMMAND
26 Mosquitoes to Tours railway yards, 12 Venturas sent to Dunkirk did not reach their target. 1 Mosquito lost.

WILHELMSHAVEN
195 aircraft – 127 Lancasters, 59 Halifaxes, 9 Stirlings. 4 Lancasters lost, 20 percent of the force.

The Pathfinders claimed accurate marking in clear visibility but bombing photographs showed that most of the attack fell in open country west of the target. Wilhelmshaven’s report says that the bombs which did fall in the town killed 5 people and injured 47 and caused damage to a variety of buildings including ‘Heine’s Hotel’.

MINELAYING
89 aircraft carried out widespread minelaying operations from St-Nazaire to the Frisians. 2 Halifaxes lost.

9 O.T.U. aircraft on leaflet flights. 1 Wellington lost.

Total effort for the night: 293 sorties, 7 aircraft (2.4 percent) lost.

USAAF
ALGERIA: The independent 15th Light Bombardment Squadron, which was the first USAAF unit to see combat in Europe (on July 4, 1942) and which has participated in two air campaigns, is withdrawn from combat and reassigned to Nouvion Airdrome as part of the new Northwest African Training Command. (The squadron will be permanently disbanded on October 1, 1943.)

NORTH AFRICA: MAC and NAAF are formally activated, and NAAF is formally divided into five components: Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF, to which XII Air Support Command and the Western Desert Air Force [incorporating the Ninth Air Force’s medium-bomber and fighter groups] are assigned); Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF, to which XII Bomber Command and the Middle East Air Command [incorporating IX Bomber Command] are assigned); Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF, to which XII Fighter Command is assigned); Northwest African Troop Carrier Command (NATCC); and Northwest African Training Command (NATC). The Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing is also formed as a USAAF-RAF conglomerate.

SARDINIA: USAAF and RAF heavy and medium bombers attack Elmas Airdrome, the Cagliari seaplane base, and Villacidro Airdrome. However, the results of the bombings are obscured by poor visibility.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command medium and heavy bombers are grounded by bad weather, but Twelfth Air Force fighters are able to support the British First Army in the Sbeitla-Kasserine-Feriana region.

RAF
Base Changes
604 Sqn (Beaufighter IF) moves to Ford
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Re: Action This Day

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466 Sqn RAAF (Leconfied – Wellington X) 19.2.43
Eight aircraft took off on a bombing sortie to WILHELMSHAVEN at 18.10 hours. It was a major attack and all aircraft reported good results. HE-531 Captained by SERGEANT ROSSER was attacked twice by a ME110 and set on fire in the nose. SERGEANT CROWHURST the Air Bomber baled from the front hatch, the Navigator SERGEANT LIVINGSTONE and the Wireless Operator SERGEANT BROWN were both wounded by cannon shells. After the second attack the ME110 passed within 300 yards astern of HE-531 and the tail gunner SERGEANT WILCOCK fired a long accurate burst which set the starboard wing on fire and both SERGEANT ROSSER and SERGEANT WILCOCK saw the enemy aircraft hit the sea still burning. This was the Squadron’s first claim to have destroyed an enemy aircraft.

ADDENDUM – Wellington X HE531 HD-? Crash landed on return at Kirmington airfield, Lincolnshire. Sgt Crowhurst is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
12 Venturas attacked German naval torpedo workshops at Den Helder without loss.

WILHELMSHAVEN
338 aircraft – 120 Wellingtons, no Halifaxes, 56 Stirlings, 52 Lancasters. 12 aircraft – 5 Stirlings, 4 Lancasters, 3 Wellingtons – lost, 3.6 percent of the force.

This raid was another failure, with the Pathfinder marking causing the Main Force bombing to fall north of Wilhelmshaven. The local report says that only 3 people were slightly injured. After this raid it was found that the Pathfinders had been issued with out-of-date maps which did not show recent town developments. A general updating of maps now took place.

2 Mosquitoes bombed Dortmund and Essen without loss. The Essen bombs just missed the Krupps works.

USAAF
TUNISIA: As powerful German Army ground forces press massive attacks around Kasserine Pass, all Twelfth Air Force aircraft are grounded by bad weather.

IX Bomber Command B-25s attack Gabes through heavy clouds.

RAF
Base Changes
417 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VBT) moves to Castel Benito

First and Last Operational Missions
107 Sqn (Great Massingham) flies its last OM in the Boston III
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Re: Action This Day

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424 Sqn RCAF (Topcliffe – Wellington III/X) 20.2.43
Six aircraft were detailed for GARDENING operations in the NECTARINE I area. “Vegetable” load was, as follows: 1 x A104, 3 x B200 2 x B202, Briefings were held at 13.30 and 14.30 hrs. Take-off commenced at 17.40 hrs. and all six were airborne 3 minutes later. Five of them reached the target area and found the visibility good except for a slight haze. “Vegetables” were dropped on specified location and return was made to base without damage. No congestion was experienced in the target area. Slight light flak was encountered from the area of TERSCHELLING. Only one S/L was observed. One aircraft reported seeing an orange light descend into the sea, explode, and burn for several minutes. This thought to be our aircraft “U”, Wellington III, B.K.435, engine Hercules XI, Port A/C56468/224015, Starboard A/C57618/346250. Keen regret is felt by all ranks at the loss of this experienced and popular crew.

ADDENDUM –Wellington IIIBK435 QB-U. Crew: Sgt IHW Baulf RNZAF KIA, P/O WN Pleasance RCAF KIA, Sgt BT White KIA, Sgt LJ King KIA, Sgt FJ Skeeles KIA, Sgt JJC Arpin RCAF KIA. T/o 1742 Topcliffe. Shot down by Oblt Rudolph Sigmund (8th victory) 10./NJG1 into the sea 55 km N Northern tip of Texel. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
20 Wellingtons laid mines in the Frisian Islands. 1 aircraft lost.

USAAF
ITALY: IX Bomber Command B-24s attack Amantea, Crotone, Naples, Nicotera, Palmi, and Rosarno.

TUNISIA: Bad weather prevents all but a handful of Twelfth Air Force P-39s from getting airborne. The P-39s strafe German Army trucks and armored vehicles around Kasserine Pass as powerful German Army ground units break through the Allied front line and proceed toward Thala and Tebessa.

RAF
Base Changes
263 Sqn (Whirlwind I) moves to Harrowbeer
312 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Warmwell
414 Sqn RCAF (Mustang I) moves to Dunsfold

First and Last Operational Missions
6 Sqn (Bu Amud) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIC
68 Sqn (Coltishall) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter IF
603 Sqn (Idku) flies its first OM in the Beaufighter VIC
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 21.2.43
Weather 4/10 cloud at 3000’, visibility 5 miles, wind 15 mile p.h. from W. At 0731 hours Blue section 30 minutes available. At 0853 hours Blue section released. Local flying, bomber affiliation, aerobatics, formation flying, tail chase and night flying (13.15 hours) were undertaken in today’s flying program. S/P Tharp, W.E. an American, left on posting to No. 116 Squadron. Attempts to recover F/S Gilis’s body abandoned as it lies 15-18 feet under surface in soft sand.

ADDENDUM – The reference to the body recovery refers to a mid-air collision that took place on 17.2.43. Both pilots being killed.

BOMBER COMMAND
BREMEN
143 aircraft – 130 Lancasters, 7 Stirlings, 6 Halifaxes – dispatched and 129 crews bombed, through cloud. No photographs were brought back because of the cloud and no report is available from Bremen.

No aircraft were lost from this medium- to large-sized raid.

USAAF
LIBYA: The 93d Heavy Bombardment Group, an Eighth Air Force B-24 unit on loan to the Ninth Air Force, is ordered to stand down pending its return to England. During its attachment to the XII and IX Bomber commands, the 93d Group mounted more than 200 effective sorties in North Africa.

MEDITERRANEAN: During the afternoon, 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down nine GAF multi-engine aircraft between Sicily and Bizerte.

NORTH AFRICA: NATAF assumes control of the RAF component of the WDAF, which will continue to support the British Eighth Army. However, the Ninth Air Force is not subordinated to the new NAAF command structure, and the USAAF component of the WDAF remains under Ninth Air Force control.

TUNISIA: Due as much to muddy conditions on the runway as to the pressure of being overrun by Axis ground forces, the 31st Fighter Group moves from Tebessa to Youks-les-Bains, Algeria.

Although NASAF B-25s are able to attack the rail yards at Gafsa, there is virtually no air action over Algeria or Tunisia because of overwhelming rain and fog. Throughout the day, only two P-39s are able to attack German Army ground forces.

RAF
Base Changes
410 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NFII) moves to Coleby Grange
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Re: Action This Day

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401 Sqn RCAF (Catterick – Spitfire VB) 22.2.43
Weather: 9/10 cloud at 3,000 feet, visibility 7 miles, wind 10 m.p.h. from S.W. At 0728 hour Red section 30 minutes available At 0848 hours Red section released. At 1800 hours Red section 30 minutes available. At 1900 hours Red section released. Cloud flying under operations’ control, local and dusk flying were undertaken during the day. Sgt Becker, J.L. left to join the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Serviceability: “A” Flight: 5 a/c and 8 pilots; “B” Flight: 2 a/c and 3 pilots.

USAAF
ALGERIA: Pressured by Axis forces on the ground, two squadrons of 81st Fighter Group P-39s abandon Le Kouif Airdrome, on the Algeria-Tunisia frontier, and pull south to Youks-les-Bains. The advance runway at Kalaa Djerda Airdrome is also abandoned.

LIBYA: IX Bomber Command’s 376th Heavy Bombardment Group displaces forward from Gambut to a Benghazi-area base.

TUNISIA: XII Bomber Command B-17s attack German Army units inside the Kasserine Pass, 12th Medium Bombardment Group B-25s attack a bridge near the pass, and escorting P-38s strafe troops. In an unrelated action, XII Bomber Command B-25s attack the Gafsa rail yards.

Although undermanned and under-supplied and despite horrid weather, 47th Light Bombardment Group A-20s mount eleven separate minimum-altitude missions through the day to help stem the advance of German armored columns from around Kasserine Pass toward Tebessa and Thala. Despite intense fire from the ground, only one A-20 is lost during the day, in a crash-landing after it is attacked by three Bf-109s.

154th Observation Squadron P-39s destroy three German tanks and ten trucks while conducting 14 armed reconnaissance missions during the day. One P-39 is downed by ground fire.

In all, XII Air Support Command aircraft mount 114 combat sorties against ground targets associated with the Axis advance toward Algeria. Thanks in part to these relentless attacks from the air, Allied ground forces are able to stop the Axis attack, and even to begin pushing it back at several points. At 1915 hours, the Axis ground forces begin withdrawing. The day’s events, in fact, bring to an end the Battle of Kasserine Pass.

In the only air-to-air fighter engagements of the day, pilots of the 31st and 82d Fighter groups down two GAF bombers in separate afternoon confrontations.

RAF
Base Changes
2 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk I) moves to Zuara
252 Sqn (Beaufighter IF/VIF) moves to Magrun
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Westhampnett

First and Last Operational Missions
126 Sqn (Luqa) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
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