Wellington HF518 B. Mk. X - Bombing Krefeld Germany - 1943-06-21 to 1943-06-22
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-06-21
Completion Date: 1943-06-22
Mission: Bombing
Operation: Battle of the Ruhr
Target City: Krefeld Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Burn
Take Off Time: 23.33
Squadron Code: SE J
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group June 21/22, 1943

44 Halifaxes from 408, 419, 427, and 428 Squadrons were joined by 42 Wellingtons from 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Krefeld. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 19,500 feet, releasing 124,000 lbs of high explosives and 253,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

705 aircraft - 262 Lancasters, 209 Halifaxes, I 17 Stirlings, I05 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitoes. 44 aircraft - 17 Halifaxes, 9 Lancasters, 9 Wellingtons, 9 Stirlings - were lost, 6·2 per cent of the force.

This raid was carried out before the moon period was over and the heavy casualties were mostly caused by night fighters .. 12 of the aircraft lost were from the Pathfinders; 35 Squadron lost 6 out of its 19 Halifaxes taking part in the raid.

The raid took place in good visibility and the Pathfinders produced an almost perfect marking effort, ground-markers dropped by Oboe Mosquitoes being well backed up by the Pathfinder heavies. 619 aircraft bombed these markers, more than three quarters of them achieving bombing photographs within 3 miles of the centre of Krefeld. 2,306 tons of bombs were dropped. A large area of fire became established and this raged, out of control, for several hours. The whole centre of the city - approximately 47 per cent of the build-up area - was burnt out. The total of 5,517 houses destroyed, quoted in Krefeld's records, was the largest figure so far in the war. 1,056 people were killed and 4,550 were injured. 72,000 people lost their homes; 20,000 of these were billeted upon families in suburbs, 30,000 moved in with relatives or friends and 20,000 were evacuated to other towns.

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

Wellington aircraft HF 518 failed to return from operations. Flying Officer B.S. Fudge. Flying Officer J.B.G. Bailey D.F.C. (RAF), W/O2ndCl Fawns, H.S., Pilot Officer G.C.W. Parslow D.F.M. (RAF), and W/C. J. Coverdale were killed.

General RAF Commands