6 Bomber Group February 20/21, 1945
112 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the oil refinery at Monheim. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 16,000 feet, releasing 698,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused.
While the Halifaxes went to Monheim, 82 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428,431, 433, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Dortmund. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 231,000 lbs of high explosives and 579,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
514 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 14 Lancastcrs lost.
The intention of this raid was to destroy the southern half of Dortmund and Bomber Command claimed that this was achieved. It appears that the Dortmund air¬raid recording service had now broken down completely; the local Stadtarchiv has no details of any kind of this raid. his was the last large Bomber Command raid of the war on Dortmund.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
419 Moose Squadron (Moose Aswayita). Target - Dortmund, Germany. Lancaster aircraft KB 804 was nearing the target when it was hit by flak, the starboard wing and the bomb bay began to blaze furiously. The crew was ordered to bail out and Flying Officer Blaney maintained control of the aircraft so that his crew could carry out his order; he stayed too long and went down with the aircraft. Pilot Officer D. Hanna bailed out but was killed when his parachute failed to open. Four Canadians, Flying Officer P. Owen (BA), Pilot Officer A. Kindret (WOAG), FSs R. Althan (AG), L. Nozzolillo (AG), and one RAF member of the crew were taken Prisoners of War..
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB
