Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)

Start Date:1943-04-14

Completion Date:1943-04-15

Mission:Bombing

Operation:Battle of the Ruhr

Target City:Stuttgart Germany

Target Specific:

Base:Burn

Take Off Time:21.08

Squadron Code:SEX

Radio Code:

Return Base:

Return Time:

Crash City:Abandoned near Baden, Switzerland

Crash Specifics:

Crash Latitude:0.000000000

Crash Longitude:0.000000000

Crash Reason:flakfighter

Flak Battery:

Enemy Claim:

6 Bomber Group April 14/15, 1943

30 Halifaxes from 405, 408, and 419 Squadrons were joined by 91 Wellingtons from 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, and 431 Squadrons on an attack at Stuttgart. The crews were over the target at between 12,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 42,000 lbs of high explosives and 236,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the weather was clear and much damage was caused to the industrial area, including a large rail repair shop. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

Events

462 aircraft- 146 Wellingtons, 135 Halifaxes, 98 Lancasters, 83 Stirlings. 23 aircraft - 8 Stirlings, 8 Wellingtons, 4 Halifaxes, 3 Lancasters - lost, 5.0 per cent of the force.

The Pathfinders claimed to have marked the centre. of this normally difficult target accurately but the main bombing area developed to the north-east, along the line of approach of the bombing force. This was an example of the 'creepback', a feature of large raids which occurred when Main Force crews- and some Pathfinder backers-up - failed to· press through to the centre of the marking area but bombed - of re-marked - the earliest markers visible. Bomber Command was never able to eliminate the creepback tendency and much bombing fell outside city areas because of it

On this night the creepback extended over the suburb of Bad Canstatt, which was of an industrial nature, and some useful damage was caused, particularly in the large railway-repair workshops situated there. The neighbouring districts of Munster and Miihlhausen were also hit and the majority of the 393 buildings destroyed and 942 severely damaged and the 200-plus civilian casualties were in these northern areas.

Only a few bombs fell in the centre of Stuttgart but the old Gedachtnis church was destroyed. In the district of Gaisburg, just east of the centre, 1 bomb scored a direct hit on an air-raid shelter packed with French and Russian prisoners of war. 257 Frenchmen and 143 Russians were killed. This tragedy brought the total death roll in Stuttgart to 619, a new record for raids to Germany.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

6 Group Bomber Command

RAF Commands