The 466 Sqdn left from Leconfield at 1943-01-15 at 16:21

On Friday 15 January 1943, a member of the 466 Sqdn, Sergeant L H Tabner, took off from Leconfield in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on WW2 History Europe. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 16:21.

He flew with a Vickers Wellington (type X, serial HE152, code HD-L).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): Twelve Spitfire Mk Vs of the 4th Fighter Group fly uneventful fighter patrols.

Campaign report of the RAF:

14/15 January 1943

122 aircraft - 63 Halifaxes, 33 Wellingtons, 20 Stirlings, 6 Lancasters - in the first of 8 area attacks on the French port of Lorient which was being used as a U-boat base. 2 Wellingtons lost. This was No 6 (Canadian) Group's first bombing operation, with 9 Wellingtons and 6 Halifaxes being dispatched. One Wellington of No 426 Squadron was the group's first loss; Pilot Officer George Milne and his crew - 5 Canadians and 1 Englishman - all died when their aircraft Wellington was lost in the sea.
The Pathfinder marking of the target was accurate but later bombing by the Main Force was described as 'wild'.

41 aircraft minelaying of Lorient and Brest, 13 OTU flights. 1 Wellington of 91 OTU lost.

15 January 1943

10 Bostons attacked a whaling factory ship at Cherbourg but scored no hits. 6 Wellingtons attempted a cloud-cover raid to Norden but only 1 aircraft bombed.

15/16 January 1943

157 aircraft - 65 Wellingtons, 48 Halifaxes, 40 Stirlings, 4 Lancasters attack Lorient. 1 Stirling and 1 Wellington lost.
Bombing was more accurate than on the previous night. At least 800 buildings were destroyed and 12 civilians killed. Most of the inhabitants had fled the town during the previous day.

2 Mosquitos to Aachen, 9 Wellingtons minelaying of Lorient and St Nazaire, 3 OTU sorties. The 2 Mosquitos raiding Aachen used Oboe.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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