6 Bomber Group April 10/11, 1943
24 Halifaxes from 405, 408, and 419 Squadrons were joined by 94 Wellingtons from 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, and 431 Squadrons on an attack at Frankfurt. The crews were over the target at between 12,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 120,000 lbs of high explosives and 189,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and the attack was scattered. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
502 aircraft- 144 Wellingtons, 136 Lancasters, 124 Halifaxes, 98 Stirlings. 21 aircraft - 8 Wellingtons, 5 Lancasters, 5 Stirlings, 3 Halifaxes - lost, 4·2 per cent of the force.
Complete cloud cover in the target area again led to a failure. The bombing photographs of every aircraft showed nothing but cloud and Bomber Command had no idea where bombs had fallen. Frankfurt reports only a few in the suburbs of the city south of the River Main. The only damage listed was fires in a paper-goods store and in the rafters of a few neighbouring houses. The Frankfurt report says that there were no casualties in the city, but another report says that 18 people died, presumably in country areas.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington aircraft HE 213 failed to return from operations. Sergeant A. Holden (RAF) was also killed. Three others of the crew, not Canadians, missing believed killed.
