The story
BREST
24 Wellingtons and 2 Stirlings; the warships were not located because of intense Flak and searchlights. 1 Wellington lost. 6 Hampdens minelaying off Brest; no losses.
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31 Blenheims and 6 Hampdens on sweeps of Belgian, Dutch and German coasts. Ships and land targets bombed. 1 Blenheim lost.
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BREST
67 aircraft - 30 Wellingtons, 25 Whitleys, 10 Hampdens, 2 Stirlings. No losses. Hits were claimed on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau but there is no confirmation of this.
14 Hampdens minelaying - 7 off Lorient, 7 off the East Frisians. No losses.
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and flew Wellingtons and Halifaxes from Driffield, Pocklington and Topcliffe until posted to Coastal Command in October 1942. Returned to Bomber Command in March 1943 and operated from Leeming in 6 Group from 11/12 March (when the squadron lost 4 out of its 15 Halifaxes flying on the first raid, to Stuttgart). Transferred to 8 Group in April 1943 and operated as a Pathfinder squadron until the end of the war, flying Halifaxes and Lancasters from Gransden Lodge.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
4
Group Wellingtons - 86 bombing
4
Group Halifaxes - 34 bombing, 2 leaflet
6
Group Halifaxes - 13 bombing
8
Group Halifaxes - 29 bombing
8
Group Lancasters - 288 bombing
Total - 450 bombing and 2 leaflet raids
Sorties and Losses
4
Group Wellingtons - 522 sorties, 20 aircraft lost (3.8 percent)
4
Group Halifaxes - 396 sorties, 26 aircraft lost (6.6 percent)
6
Group Halifaxes - 55 sorties, 4 aircraft lost (7.3 percent)
8
Group Halifaxes - 330 sorties, 12 aircraft lost (3.6 percent)
8
Group Lancasters - 2,549 sorties, 50 aircraft lost (2.0 percent)
Total - 3,852 sorties, 112 aircraft lost (2.9 percent)
POINTS OF INTEREST
First Canadian squadron in Bomber Command and the only Canadian Pathfinder squadron; carried out more bombing raids than any other Canadian squadron.
Carried out most Wellington bombing raids in 4 Group.
Carried out an unusually high proportion of bombing raids throughout its career and suffered heavy casualties; the only long-serving heavy squadron not to have flown any minelaying operations.
408 (GOOSE) SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed on
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