大象传媒

RAID NUMBER TEN. Nine days later on March 2nd, a beautiful clear day, we took off at 06.30 hours in IQ-X-Ray to attack Cologne on our first daylight raid. Seven hundred heavy bombers took part and were escorted by R.A.F. fighters. Our objective was to destroy approaches to the Rhine bridges and block German military traffic to and from the city on which the American forces were closing quite rapidly.
The bombing run was from the north-west at 18,000 feet with a following wind. Flak was very heavy. On our starboard a Lanc was on fire but still flying straight and level. Six crew members jumped and their parachutes opened. There was a long pause and then the seventh came out, but when his chute opened it was just a mass of flames. He would drop like a stone, but as for the others, with the wind blowing as it was, they would probably land near the target area. What a prospect!
On our run in, a Halifax several hundred yards ahead exploded and we flew right through the debris. We bombed, and our picture turned out to be excellent. It showed the spires of Cologne cathedral apparently in tact, but beyond, direct bomb bursts on the bridges could be seen. Our return trip after leaving the target area was relatively uneventful, and we landed at base five and a half hours after take-off.
On daylight raids, it was comforting to be able to look around and see all the bombers and friendly fighter escorts, whereas at night, you could feel absolutely alone. To counter this, though, enemy fighters and flak units were much more accurate in their defences during daylight, and it could be quite demoralising to see your planes clearly shot down.

RAIDS ELEVEN AND TWELVE. Chemnitz was again our night target on March 5th. Flying IQ-Victor, we, along with 700 other bombers, attacked at 18,000 feet using sky markers as our aiming point. It was hotly defended by fighters and flak, but bombing results were good. Numerous bombers were lost in the target area, but the ordeal of many crews did not end there. Single and twin engine fighters continued attacking until the coast was reached, with a few of their victims crashing to a fiery end. To make matters even worse, severe icing conditions occurred over England, and at least three crews crashed in the Midlands. In all, about 30 aircraft were lost with 200 airmen killed or missing, making this one of the heaviest blows suffered by Bomber Command in a single night. Even though it was apparent from the news reports from the various fronts that the enemy was being thoroughly beaten, it did not show in their stubborn defences against our bombing forces.
We were happy to get back to base after nine and a half hectic hours in the air.
Dessau was scheduled to be our next night target. It was important for many industries being the headquarters of the Junkers Aircraft Company, and had many factories producing jet engines.
We took off at 17.15 hours on March 17th in IQ-Sugar and had an assigned bombing height of 12,500 feet. To defend Dessau, the enemy used decoy skymarkers and dummy T.I.s without success. It was the most hotly defended target to date, with searchlights, heavy flak, fighters, fighter flares and scarecrows all being used to ward off the bomber force. It was so absolutely colourful that there is no way that words can describe it. The target was well and truly hit, and P.R.U. (Photographic Reconnaissance Unit) planes brought back pictures confirming great devastation of the target area several days later. Sugar and crew were lucky again that night, with no serious damage and only a few pit marks on the surface from distant flak bursts. We landed at base 9 hours and 25 minutes after take off, with most of our crew commenting that we wouldn鈥檛 want too many of those. In all, eighteen bombers were lost, one being from 170 Squadron.

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