6 Bomber Group April 3/4, 1943
22 Halifaxes from 405, 408, and 419 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Essen. The crews were over the target at between 15,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 38,000 lbs of high explosives and 74,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the weather was clear and the target was severely damaged. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
348 aircraft- 225 Lancasters, 113 Halifaxes, IO Mosquitoes; this was the first raid In which more than 200 Lancasters had taken part. 12 Halifaxes and 9 Lancasters lost, 6.0 per cent of the force - and 2 further Halifaxes crashed in England.
The weather forecast was not entirely favourable for this raid and the Pathfinders prepared a plan both for sky-marking and ground-marking the target. In the event, there was no cloud over Essen and the Main Force crews were somewhat confused to find two kinds of marking taking place. The resultant bombing, however, was accurate and a higher proportion of aircraft produced good bombing photographs than any of the earlier successful raids on Essen.
Local reports showed that there was widespread damage in the centre and in the western half of Essen. 635 buildings were destroyed and 526 seriously damaged. 118 people - 88 civilians, 10 Flak gunners, 2 railwaymen, 2 policemen and 16 French workers - were killed and 458 people were injured.The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Halifax DT808 served with No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "LQ*V". Failed to return from the attack on Essen on 3 / 4 April 1943, shot down by a night fighter flown of I./NJG1. Crashed near "Lijnbraak" farmhouse, Vierlingsbeek, the Netherlands. 5 crew were killed and 2 POW.
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB
