6 Bomber Group April 13/14, 1945
104 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 Squadrons were joined by 105 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack of the port area of Kiel. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 1,921,000 lbs of high explosives.According to reports the attack was scattered with some damage.
While most crews went to Kiel, 20 Lancasters from 424, 427, 429, and433 Squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Kiel Bay. The crews were over the garden at 12,000 feet, sowing 120@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
377,Lancasters and 105 Halifaxes of 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 2 Lancasters lost.,/p>
'l'hls raid was directed against the port area, with the U-boat yards as the main objective, Bomber Command rated this as 'a poor attack' with scattered bombing. The local diary states that the main bombing was in and around the suburb of Elmschenhagen, 2 miles from the port area, but some damage was caused nearer the harbour including a hit on an ammunition depot at the northern end. 50 people were killed
419 Moose Squadron (Moosa Aswayita). Lancaster aircraft KB 866 failed to return from a night attack against Kiel, Germany. F/O.s C.R. Loft, D.W. Wincott, P/O.s G.A.Livingstone, E.R. Wightman, C.C. MacLaren, W. Henderson, and G.J. Jones were killed. These airmen were the last members of this Squadron to lose their lives while on operations during the war, this was their fourth trip.
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB
