6 Bomber Group October 8/9, 1943
16 Lancasters from 408 and 426 squadrons were joined by 70 Halifaxes from 419, 427, 428, 429, 431, and 434 squadrons and 14 Wellingtons from 432 squadron on an attack at Hannover. The crews were over the target at between 18,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 272,000 lbs of high explosives and 294,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the sky was clear and an accurate attack was made with severe damage being caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
On 1943-10-08, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, an Engineering Officer with 427 Sqn at Skipton-on-Swale, wrote in his diary:
". . .The weather was pretty duff right up until the last minute & there was a great chance of it being scrubbed but the take-off was ok. We had 11 kites on & had them marshalled and ready to go at 5:00pm. Takeoff was 10:30 with 1875 lbs of bombs & incendiaries as the load, 1 2000lb bomb was the big item: 429 had 13 [aircraft] on & it was very interesting as it was the first night take-off I had witnessed. . . . Those of us on interrogation stretched out on chairs in the Mess & went to sleep. At 1:30 I got a phone call that H was in the circuit on an early return . . .By this time it was nearly 4am so I went to bed when I heard that the rest of our aircraft were being diverted due to heavy ground fog at our station."
Sat Oct 9, 1943: " . . . We located all of our kites down in the south of England and sent crew down to get them fixed up.D Donald [LK900] is missing so I've now lost my first kite directly due to enemy action. It was the pilot and crew's first trip which is really too bad. 429 had one too making 2 out of 24 kites which isn't bad. Hanover was the target and from all reports they really pranged it properly"
Diary of A Ross Dawson, courtesy CWM