Squadron: 460 (B) Sqn (RAAF)
Start Date: 1942-05-06
Completion Date: 1942-05-06
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Stuttgart Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Breighton, England
Take Off Time: 21:31
Squadron Code: UV L
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Crash Specifics: just north of Mannheim-Waldhof
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
Stuttgart
{{webimage,wardiaries.jpg,float:right;width:150px;,Book no longer in print}}97 aircraft » 55 Wellingtons, 15 Stirlings, 10 Hampdens, IO Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes - to the city and the Bosch factory. 5 Wellingtons and 1 Halifax lost.
This third raid on Stuttgart was another failure, with crews again blaming ground haze for their inability to identify the city. Stuttgart's records show that no bombs fell in the city, though a few fell in woods to the west. The Lauffen decoy may have been responsible for a raid which developed on the large town of Heilbronn, only 5 miles from the decoy fire site but 20 miles from Stuttgart. More than 150 buildings were hit in Heilbronn and 7 people died there.
6 Group Unavailable
460 Australia Squadron (Strike And Return). Wellington aircraft Z1254 was on a mission over Stuttgart, Germany, when it was coned by searchlights and hit by heavy flak. The bomber crashed near Mannheim, Germany. Casualties included RCAF Flt. Sgt. K.A. Fogg (wireless operato / air gunner); RAAF Sgt's. R.H. Murphy (second pilot) and J.R. Shearer (observer); and RAF Sqn Leader C.L. Gilbert (pilot) and RAF Sgt. C.N. Dixon (wireless operator / air gunner). RAAF Sgt. J.G. Lake (air gunner) was taken Prisoner of War.
