Feb 1943 Sorties
date (dd/mon/yr) target (Non-operational_ops_sometimes_listed) ac id pilot 2nd pilot navigator bomb aimer W/AG/OP RG time up time down status dispatched er bombed primary bombed alternate failed to bomb tgt failed to return landed away Time attacked primary Alt attacked primary bomb load (not_always_stated_usually_only_when_ac_lost) Intelligence debriefing (Some_letters_are_difficult_to_read_from_the_microfiche_dispite_being_typed)
16-Feb-43 L'Orient HE172 deBussac
Spence Rothern Coe Palmetier 1828 0104 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2102 13,600 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 8 x 30 lb incendiaries and 360 x 4 lb incendiaries Satisfactory trip - PFF techniques satisfactory - Good fires seen to have taken hold from French coast on return. Bomb load dropped - not seen to explode - one large explosion noted.
16-Feb-43 L'Orient DF622 Hanan
Bell Wood Litchfield Lame 1831 2336 er Yes Yes No No No No No

1 x 4,000 lb bomb This aircraft returned early without completing the operation due to failure of the oxygen supply system owing to fractured connection at front turret position. 4,000 lb bomb carried jettisoned from 4,500 ft at 2251 hours.
16-Feb-43 L'Orient X3399 Cairns
Larkin Awad Lang Clowes 1830 0049 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2105 12,000 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 8 x 30 lb incendiaries and 360 x 4 lb incendiaries Successful sortie - fires seen to have taken a good hold in concentrated attack - PFF techniques appeared to have been well carried out.
16-Feb-43 L'Orient BK162 Lancaster
Hale Boyes Thom Rabinovitch 1827 0059 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2103 13,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Concentrated and entirely successful raid. Good visibility - smoke drifting over target. Bomb load dropped - not seen to explode - one very large explosion noted.
16-Feb-43 L'Orient BJ799 Bruce
Legesse Cawthorn Godden Strachan 1904 0056 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2110 14,000 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 8 x 30 lb incendiaries and 360 x 4 lb incendiaries Weather clear - moonlight - Bomb load dropped not seen to explode - Many large fires (especially three) seen to have taken hold - attack appeared concentrated.
16-Feb-43 L'Orient Z1696 Rawson
Kerr McIntosh Smith Jakeman 1829 0046 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2100 12,600 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 8 x 30 lb incendiaries and 360 x 4 lb incendiaries Successful sortie - homed on to target by GEE - Bomb load not seen to explode - very large fires noted in target area - especially near red PFF markers
16-Feb-43 L'Orient BJ908 Hayes
Lewis Banks Impey Monty 1830 2308 dco Yes No Yes No No No No
12,000 ft 1 x 4,000 lb bomb Successful sortie - 4,000 lb bomb dropped from 12,000 ft between 2100 and 2110 - believed to fall in dry dock area - intercom u/s over target
16-Feb-43 L'Orient Z1760 Smith
Tennis Nelson Craig Crimmins 1826 0114 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2105 14,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Successful sortie - successful attack - flares useful - no cloud - moonlight - hazy - Bomb dropped and seen to explode - one large explosion seen.
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven BK540 deBussac
Spence Follows Coe Palmetier 18005 2304 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2002 17,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Successful sortie - concentrated fires seen 90 miles from target on any home
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven BK429 Chipling
Baker Benner Edmonds Litson 17595 2333 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2011 16,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Successful sortie - damaged by flak at 16,000 ft in target area - bombing seemed concentrated and well concentrated PFF accurate
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven BK162 Lancaster
Hale Boyes Thom Rabinovitch 1801 2325 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2007 17,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Successful trip - bomb load believed to have fallen between railway station and ?pen (not legible) - appeared to be well concentrated raid
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven HE414 Bruce
Legesse Cawthorn Godden Strachan 18015 2300 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2001 18,000 ft 3 x 500 lb bomb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries and 5 pckts. G. 16 Successful trip - bomb load dropped and seen to explode approximately .5 miles north of AP own incendiaries believed seen to have taken hold PFF accurate and helpful
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven BK499 Rawson
Kerr McIntosh Smith Jakeman 18025 2257 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2005 16,300 ft 3 x 500 lb bomb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries Successful sortie - Bomb load not seen to explode due to so many bright ground fires - believed to have dropped .5 miles west of AP. PFF techniques good
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven HE172 Hayes
Lewis Banks Impey Monty 1803 2330 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2010 19,000 ft 3 x 500 lb bomb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries Clear moonlight - haze - many incendiaries seen to have taken hold - concentrated attack
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven Z1670 Smith
Tennis Nelson Bartleet Crimmins 1800 2320 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2011 16,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb GP. TD. .025 and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Successful sortie - bright moonlight - target obscured by smoke - bomb load dropped - not seen to explode - two big areas of incendiaries noted on west side of town
19-Feb-43 Wilhelmshaven X3399 Carty
Gwynne Johnston Scott Whiteland 1802 2314 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2001 14,000 ft 3 x 500 lb bomb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries and 5 pckts. G. 16 Successful sortie - A very concentrated raid with so many bursts it was impossible to see one's own
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 Z1670 Willey
Vann Tucker Kettel Richardson 23.30 00.59 dco Yes No No No Yes No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables brought back owing to inability to pin point. Aircraft was in cloud down to 1,000 ft. Unsuccessful trip owing to obscure weather conditions in target area. (My note: time and altitude not stated)
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 BK429 Chipling
Baker Benner Edmonds Litson 2016 0116 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Pinpoint on order of juist. Gee fix obtained 5358N 0352E. Satisfied that juist correctly identified and vegetables planted in correct position. Assembly 1 x 200 and 1 x 202. (My note: time and altitude not stated)
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 HE172 Holbeck
Parry Cartwright Heydon Franoley 2032 0057 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Juist identified visually. No parachute seen to open. Aircraft then entered cloud. Successful trip. Good gee fixes up to 430E. Assembly 1 x 200 and 1 x 202. (My note: time and altitude not stated)
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 HE160 Rawson Owen Kerr McIntosh Smith Jakeman 2014 0030 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables brought back. No pinpoint on Juist obtainable owing to sea fog. Sea fog from 500 ft above sea level up to 1,500 ft. (My note: time and altitude not stated)
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 HZ260 deBussac
Spence Fellows Coe Palmetier 20.19 00.46 dco Yes No No No Yes No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables brought back owing to impossibility to pinpoint. Sea fog from 700 ft to 2,000 ft. No Gee fix. (My note: time and altitude not stated)
25-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 2 BJ755 Hanan
Brown Vose Litchfield Lane 2015 0136 dco Yes No No No Yes No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables brought back owing to inability to pinpoint. Thickening for over Ialanic(? illegiable) Disappointing trip. Impossible to see any landmarks owing to thick sea fog (My note: time and altitude not stated)
26-Feb-43 Cologne X3399 Carty
Gwynne Johnson Scott Whiteland 18585 2223 er Yes Yes No No No No No

3 x 500 lb, 4 SBC of 90 x 41 lb incendiaries and 2 SBC of 8 x 30 lb incendiaries Returned early - late at concentration point. Furthest point reached 5017N 0320E
26-Feb-43 Cologne Z1670 Black
Bailey Rothera Bartleet Billington 1856 0009 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2117 15,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Clear with ground haze. Flare in bomb sight. Good fires seen in target area. Fires seen 50 miles after leaving.
26-Feb-43 Cologne BK540 Lancaster
Hale Boyers Thom Rabinovitch 1848 0027 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2133 16,300 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Clear - good visibility. Green flares in bomb sight. Many fires seen. Five fires concentrated around target (My note: this sentence not very legible) Incendiaries and many bomb bursts in target area. Heavy flak fairly accurate.
26-Feb-43 Cologne HE160 Chipling
Baker Benner Edmonds Litson 1850 2236 er Yes Yes No No No No No

2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Returned early. Constant speed unit unserviceable. Furthest point reached DUTCH coast. A/C would not climb above 11,000 ft
26-Feb-43 Cologne HE414 Bruce
Lagesse Cawthorn Godden Strachan 18495 0005 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2133 17,000 ft 3 x 500 lb, 4 SBC of 90 x 41 lb incendiaries and 2 SBC of 8 x 30 lb incendiaries Clear. Hay on ground. Marker flares in bombsight - own bursts not seen. PFF accurate but late. Attack concentrated. Satisfactory trip. Photo pattern indicates violent evasive action.
26-Feb-43 Cologne DF622 Hanan
Brown Awad Litchfield Lane 1851 0033 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2122 15,000 ft 1 x 4,000 lb bomb Clear - hazy on ground. Green marker flares in bomb sight. Explosions of own bombs seen in middle of flare concentrations. Main attack scattered. Incendiaries burning over large area. PFF 10(?) minutes late. Disappointed to se how widespread the attack appeared. Successful photo taken showing slight ground detail - numerous incendiary tracks also muzzle flames from a 5-gun H/M battery
26-Feb-43 Cologne HE172 Hayes
Lewis Banks Nicholson Monty 1849 2324 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2118 17,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Clear fair amount of gorund haze. Aircraft was running up caused TI mortor(?) which went out before it came in light (my note: sentence illegible). Two green TI burst right ahead of A/C and those were bombed. Moderate heavy flak - Cones of 30/40 beams N & S of target. Loodhall spa. short of petrol
26-Feb-43 Cologne Z1696 Rawson
Kerr McIntosh Smith Jakeman 1852 0013 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2121 15,900 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Flares in bombsight. Own bursts seen among PFF flares. Incendiaries seen to commence takin hold on leaving T/A. Fires visible 50 miles away on return. Defences formidable, especially search lights. Photograph a technical success showing numerous tracks of incendiaries
26-Feb-43 Cologne BK499 Jameson
Hall Wood Mallen Holloway 1854 0039 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2121 16,500 ft 3 x 500 lb, 4 SBC of 90 x 41 lb incendiaries and 2 SBC of 8 x 30 lb incendiaries Clear hazy. Marker flares in bomb sight - no bursts seen. Scattered attack - no large fires but many incendiaries seen burning. Found it difficult to reach concentration and turning points at time specified - otherwise satisfactory.
26-Feb-43 Cologne BJ908 Holbeck
Parry Cartwright Heydon Trembly 1903 2327 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2128 13,000 ft 1 x 4,000 lb bomb No cloud. Ground haze. Landed Bast Wrethom. Green flares in bomb sight. PFF late on target.
26-Feb-43 Cologne HZ260 deBussac
Spence Follows Coe Palmetier 1848 0021 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2129 17,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb Ground haze. Markers in bomb sight. Some fires seen reflected through clouds. Successful photo taken showing ground detail
26-Feb-43 Cologne BK162 Holmes
Bain Ritchie Gill Lunn 18475 2154 er Yes Yes No No No No No

3 x 500 lb, 4 SBC of 90 x 41 lb incendiaries and 2 SBC of 8 x 30 lb incendiaries Returned early - Electrical trouble. Furthest point reached 5209N 0250E(?)
27-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 1 Z1696 Kennedy
McConnell-Jones Begg Walker Chard 1832 2233 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Both parachutes seen to open. Very successful trip carried out under good conditions. Assembly 1 x B200 and 1 x A108
27-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 1 BK499 Jameson
Hal Wood Mallen Riley 1834 2225 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Two parachutes seen to open. Quite a successfully trip. Assembly 1 x B200 and 1 A108
27-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 1 HZ260 Black
Baily Rothera Bartleet Billington 1830 2218 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Terschelling identified visually. Both parachutes seen to open. Successful trip. Assembly 2 x B200
27-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 1 BK162 Willey
Vanns Tucker Keitel Richardson 1831 2221 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. One parachute seen to open. Successful trip. Assembly 1 x B200 & 1 x B202
27-Feb-43 Gardening:Nectarine 1 BK429 Carty
Gwynne Johnson Scott Whiteland 18325 2210 dco Yes No Yes No No No No

2 x 1,500 mines Vegetables planted as ordered. Both parachutes seen to open. An entirely successful trip under good conditions. Assembly 2 x B200
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BJ755 Holbeck
Parry Cartwright Brandley Trombley 1802 2358 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2125 12,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Concentrated fires noted in and around docks area. Landed at Pershore.
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine DF622 Carty
Gwynne Johnson Scott Whiteland 1808 2327 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2130 13,500 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Weather clear & visibility good. Bomb bursts and good fires in target area noted - seen 70 miles on return journey. Landed at Middle Wallop
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine Z1696 Hanan
Brown Voss Litchfield Lane 1804 0012 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2137 13,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Good fires seen, enveloping whole deck area. Moderately heavy FLAK encountered. Two enemy aircraft sited. Landed at High Ercall.
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BK540 Willey
Vans Tucker Kettel Richardson 1808 2222 er Yes Yes No No No No Yes


This aircraft returned early due to fire breakin out in Bomb Bay - caused by electrical short circuit. Landed at Abingdon.
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BJ908 Kennedy
McConnell-Jones Begg Walker Chard 1803 2345 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2120 13,500 ft 1 x 4,000 lb bomb Large fires seen throughout target area. Landed at Brise Norton.
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BK162 Lancaster Burini Hale Boyes Thom Rabinovitch 1801 0035 dco Yes No Yes No No No No 2125 14,000 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries Weather good - slight ground haze. Concentrated fires in target area visible for 85 miles on homeward journey.
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine HZ260 deBussac
Spence Follows Coe Palmatier 1801 0028 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2130 12,000 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries Successful trip. Widespread fires noted. Landed at Hemswell
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine HE414 Bruce
Legesse Cawthorn Godden Strachan 1800 2341 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2130 16,000 ft 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025, 360 x 4 lb incendiaries and 16 x 30 lb incendiaries Huge explosion noted in target area - believed oil tank. Port petrol tank damaged by FLAK. Landed at Exeter
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BK429 Chipling Owen Baker Benner Edmonds Litson 1805 0003 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2125 12,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Thirty two fires counted in target area, including three very large ones. Landed at Surn
28-Feb-43 St. Nazarine BK499 Conroy
Bell Densmore Nelson Burns 1804 2322 dco Yes No Yes No No No Yes 2130 13,000 ft 2 x 1,000 lb bomb and 3 x 500 lb GP. TD. .025 Good trip. Raid appeared highly concentrated. Whole town ablaze on leaving. Landed at Chivener