Stuttgart
{{webimage,wardiaries.jpg,float:right;width:150px;,Book no longer in print}}494 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos of 1,3,5, and 8 Groups in the last raid of the current series on the target. German fighters intercepted the bomber stream while over France on the outward flight; there was a bright moon and 39 Lancasters were shot down. 7.9% of the force.
6 Bomber Group July 28/29, 1944
46 Lancasters from 408, 419, and 428 Squadron were joined by 186 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 2,019,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, some bombing fell into the port area, otherwise the attack was scattered. On this attack, 6 Group suffered their highest losses. 22 crews failed to return.
As well as the crews that went to Hamburg, 5 Halifaxes from424 Squadron were ordered on a mining operation to Heligoland. The crews were over the garden at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, sowing 20@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
576 Squadron (Carpe Diem) RAF Elsham Woods. Lancaster I aircraft LL 905 UL-H2 was lost during a night raid against targets in Stuttgart, Germany. The Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter and crashed six miles south-east of Saaralben, Alsace Lorraine between Saarewerden (Bas-Rhin) and Rimsdorf, France
Their are two claims for this Lancaster, either Hauptmann Martin Becker of the 2/NJG6 (flying Bf 110 G-4 2Z+MK) or Unteroffizier Egon Engling of the 8/NJG2
Flying Officer Edward James Mann DFC (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Donald Irwin MacVicar (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Leslie Mutton (RAAF) and Sergeant Reginald Alan Wellesley Roberts (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Flying Officer Anton Novak (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Francis Thomas McCann (RAFVR) and Sergeant William Thomas Doidge (RAFVR) survived to become Prisoners of War
There were four 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft lost this same date. The other Lancaster aircraft were serials PB 128 UL-S2, LL 799 UL-N2 and PB 253 UL-A2
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4 24 July - 15 October by Theo Boiten, page 22
1 Group Bomber Command an Operarional Record by Chris Ward with Greg Harrison and Grzegorz Korcz
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database