FRANKFURT
{{webimage,wardiaries.jpg,float:right;width:150px;,Book no longer in print}}846 aircraft - 620 Lancasters, 209 Halifaxes, 17 Mosquitoes. The German fighter force was again split. One part was lured north by the Heligoland mining operation but the second. part waited in Germany and met the bomber stream just before the target was reached, although cloud made it difficult for these fighters to achieve much success. 22 aircraft- 12 Halifaxes, IO Lancasters -were lost, 2·6 per cent of the force.
The Pathfinders marked the target accurately and this led to heavy bombing of eastern, central and western districts of Frankfurt. The later phases of the bombing were scattered but this was almost inevitable with such a large force; new crews were usually allocated to the final waves. Extensive destruction was caused in Frankfurt. The local report gives a long list of 'cultural buildings', including the Opera House and the preserved medieval quarter, destroyed. Most of the report consists of statistics: 5,495 houses, 99 industrial firms, 412 small businesses, 56 public buildings= all destroyed or seriously damaged; many other buildings were lightly damaged. 421 civilians were killed and 55,500 were bombed out. A military train was hit and 20 soldiers in it were killed and 80 wounded but this may have been by the action of a Fighter Command Intruder aircraft; the Frankfurt report says that the train was shot up by cannon-fire.
6 Bomber Group March 18/19, 1944
25 Lancasters from 408 and 426 Squadrons were joined by 94 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 427, 429, 432, and 433 Squadrons on an attack at Frankfurt. The crews were over the target at between 18,000 and 23,000 feet, releasing 73,000 lbs of high explosives and 411,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, target marking was accurate and serious damage was caused.
While the Frankfurt attack was taking place, 39 Halifaxes from 419,428, 431 and 434 squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Heligoland. The crews were over the garden at between 11,000 and 12,000 feet, sowing74@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
427 Lion Squadron (Ferte Manus Certas) RAF Leeming. Halifax BIII aircraft LW 551 ZL-G was shot down by a night fighter during a night operation to Frankfurt, Germany. The Halifax crashed near Hillesheim, Germany
Pilot, Flying Officer TW Cooper MiD (RCAF) maintained control of his aircraft long enough to allow his crew to jump to safety but stayed too long to save himself and was killed in action
Flying Officer WA Wright (RCAF), Flying Officer CA Cawson (RCAF), Flight Sergeant GB Dowker (RCAF), Sergeant LW Preston (RAFVR), Sergeant TF Muncaster (RAF) and Sergeant PA Clare (RAF) all survived to be taken as Prisoners of War
Sergeant Preston died from illness as a PoW 1945-05-11
There were two 427 Squadron Halifax III aircraft lost on this operation> Please see Halifax aircraft serial HX 279 ZL-Z for additional information on this aircraft and crew
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
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