6 Bomber Group May 12/13, 1943
19 Halifaxes from 408 and 419 Squadrons were joined by 51 Wellingtons from 426, 428, 429, and 431 Squadrons on an attack at Duisberg. The crews were over the target at between 13,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 70,000 lbs of high explosives and 153,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the weather was clear and severe damage was caused to the port area and industrial sector, including the Thyssen steel works. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
572 aircraft - 238 Lancasters, 142 Halifaxcs, 112 Wellingtons, 70 Stirling», 10 Mos¬quitoes. 34 aircraft 10 Lancastcrs, 10 WollinMtons, 9 U11lifuxos, 5 Stirlin!JR losr, 5·9 per cont of the force.
This was the fourth raid on Duisburg so far during the Battle of the Ruhr, the firs 3 raids having been only partially successful. The Pathfinder marking on this night however, was near perfect and the Main Force bombing was particularly well concen trated. The centre of Duisburg and the port area just off the River Rhine, the larges inland port in Germany, suffered severe damage. I ,596 buildings were totally destroyer and 273 people were killed. 4 of the August Thyssen steel factories were damaged Nearly 2,000 prisoners of war and forced workers were drafted into Duisburg to repai windows, roofs and other bomb damage. In the port area, 21 barges and 13 other ship totalling 18,921 tons were sunk and 60 further ships of 41,000 tons were damaged. lt was not deemed necessary to attack Duisburg again during this period.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
419 Moose Squadron (Moosa Aswayita) RAF Middleton St George. Halifax BII aircraft JB 861VR-C crashed near Rotterdam during a raid against the port area, industrial sector and the Thyssen steel work at Duisberg, Germany. The bomber was shot down by night fighter pilot Hauptmann Kurt Liedke of the 1/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Gilze-Rijen airfield, Netherlands
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