The 138 Sqdn left from Tempsford at 1944-06-02 at an unknown time. Loc or duty SOE
He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type V, serial LL289, code NF-P).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): The role of the heavy bombers from 2-5 Jun in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 Jun includes continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in N France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER).
Mission 384: In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V- weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 385: In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA.
3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss.
3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic.
During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): A special conference for ground liaison officers is held by 21 Army Group officers who present a detailed exposition of the plan for the landings in Normandy.
In France, about 350 B-26s and A-20s bomb NOBALL (V-weapon) targets and coastal defense batteries along the English Channel coast; P-38s and P-47s dive-bomb targets in the area, including V-weapon sites, fuel dump, railroad junctions and bridges.
Campaign report of the RAF:
1/2 June 1944
101 Halifaxes of No 4 Group and 8 Pathfinder Mosquitos attacked the main German radio-listening station at Ferme d'Urville near the coast chosen for the invasion, but cloud and haze prevented accurate bombing. No aircraft lost.
58 Lancasters of No 5 Group attacked a railway junction at Saumur. Photographic reconnaissance showed 'severe damage to junction, main lines torn up'. No aircraft lost.
6 Mosquitos to the port of Aarhus in Denmark, 3 Serrate patrols, 18 aircraft minelaying in the Kattegat and off Dunkirk, 40 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Halifax on Resistance operations lost.
2/3 June 1944
128 aircraft - 105 Halifaxes, 19 Lancasters, 4 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards at Trappes. Most of the bombing fell in the eastern half of the target area. 15 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost, 12.5 per cent of the force.
103 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 8 Groups attacked a radar-jamming station at Berneval with great accuracy and without loss.
271 aircraft - 136 Lancasters, 119 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos - attacked 4 coastal gun positions with the loss of 1 Lancaster. In only 1 raid was the bombing accurate but this was not too serious because these raids were part of the invasion deception plan. None of the targets were in the Normandy area; all were on the Pas de Calais coast.
Further raids in the next 2 nights would continue the deception and the Normandy batteries would only be bombed on the last night before the invasion.
23 Mosquitos to Leverkusen, 4 to Laval and 3 to Lison, 16 RCM sorties, 9 Serrate and 6 Intruder patrols, 53 aircraft minelaying from Dunkirk to Brest, 36 aircraft on Resistance operations, 11 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling lost on a Resistance operation.
Total effort for the night: 667 sorties, 17 aircraft (2.5 per cent) lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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