6 Bomber Group April 24/25, 1944
21 Lancasters from 408 and 426 squadrons were joined by 116 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, and 433 Squadrons on an attack at Karlsruhe. The crews were over the target at between 15,000 and 23,000 feet, releasing 248,000 lbs of high explosives and 401,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and bombing was scattered. All crews commented on the severe icing to this target.
18 Halifaxes from 419, 428 and 434 Squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to St. Malo, Cherbourg and the Frisian Islands. The crews were over the garden at between 10,000 and 12,000 feet, sowing 36@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
637 aircraft - 369 Lancasters, 259 Halifaxes, 9 Mosquitoes - of all groups except 5 Group. 19 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 8 Hallfaxes - lost, 3·0 per cent of the force,
Cloud over the target und n strong wind which pushed the Pathfinders too far north spoiled this attack. Only the northern part of Karlsruhe was seriously damager und most of the bombs fell outside the city. It has been difficult to obtain details from this target. One report says that 23 people were killed, 133 were injured and mon than 900 houses were destroyed or badly damaged, but another report gives the number of people killed as I 18. Mannheim, 30 miles to the north, recorded a raid by approximately 100 aircraft on this night and Darmstadt, Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg were also hit by aircraft which failed to find the main target. It must be assumer that many bombs fell in open country between Karlsruhe and Mannheim; another German report says that bombs fell in 120 parishes.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Halifax III aircraft HX 318 QB-O was hit by flak and exploded at 20,000 feet south-west of Bingen, at Waldalgesheim, Germany during night operations against Karlsruhe, Germany
Flying Officer WP Hugli (RCAF), Flying Officer RS Chapman (RCAF), Pilot Officer GW Mayor (RCAF), Sergeant w Docherty (RAFVR) and Sergeant GAA Pound (RAFVR) were killed in action
Flying Officer GS Coleman (RCAF) and FS HE May (RCAF) were thrown clear of the exploding aircraft and survived to be taken as Prisoners of War
There were two 424 Squadron aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Tinline, JE for information regarding Halifax III aircraft LV-962 QB-X
Flying Officer Hugli had gone down due to an engine failure, 1943-5-27 while on an anti-submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay. He had been flying 10 Coastal Operational Training Unit Whitley V aircraft BD 282 at the time. A 461 Squadron (RAAF) Sunderland flying boat, searching for the Wellington crashed in the swell while attempting to land and rescue the downed Wellington crew. A second 461 Squadron Sunderland was dispatched and sighted the survivors, staying on station until both the downed aircrews were picked by the French destroyer "La Combattante" on the morning of 1943-05-29
Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca
424 Squadron Halifax III HX318 QB-O Plt.Off. Hugli, RAF Skipton-on...