The 61 Sqdn left from Syerston at 1943-08-16 at 20:20. Loc or duty Milano
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type III, serial ED722, code QR-B).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force):: VIII Bomber Command Mission 83: Luftwaffe facilities in France are targetted today. 1. 179 B-17's and 1 YB-40 are dispatched to Le Bourget air depot in the Paris area; 171 hit the target at 0929-0937 hours; they claim 29-3-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost and 46 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 4 WIA and 31 MIA; this mission is escorted all the way to the target by P-47's using drop tanks. 2. 66 B-17's are dispatched to Poix and Abbeville Airfields; all 66 hit the targets at 0911-0923 hours; 38 aircraft are damaged; no casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 21, 22A and 22B: Airfields in France are targetted today; no casualties. 1. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Bernay St Martin Airfield; 31 hit the target at 1117 hours; 2 aircraft are damaged. 2. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Beaumont Le Roger Airfield; 29 hit the target at 1700 hours and 3 hit Conches Airfield at 1703 hours; 3 aircraft are damaged. 3. A diversion is flown by B-26's of the 323d Bombardment Group (Medium).
Campaign report of the RAF:
15/16 August 1943
199 Lancasters continued the offensive against Milan, claiming particularly concentrated bombing. 7 aircraft were lost, mostly to German fighters which were awaiting the bombers' return over France.
8 Mosquitos to Berlin, 63 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off Texel and off all the main Brittany and Biscay ports, 16 OTU sorties. 2 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling from the minelaying force were lost.
154 aircraft of 3 and No 8 Groups - 103 Stirlings, 37 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters to Turin in what was the . 4 aircraft - 2 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster, 1 Stirling - lost.
This raid concluded the Bomber Command attacks on Italian cities which had commenced in June 1940.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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