6 Group Unavailable
27 /28 August 1942 KASSEL
306 aircraft of 5 types. 31 aircraft - 21 Wellingtons, 5 Stirlings, 3 Lancasters, 1 Halifax, I Hampden - lost, 10?1 per cent of the force. 142 Squadron, based at Grimsby, lost 5 of its l 5 Wellingtons taking part in the raid. Many of the casualties were attributed to night-fighter action.
There was only a little cloud over Kassel and the Pathfinders were able to illuminate the area well. Widespread damage was caused, particularly in the south?western parts of the city. Kassel reports that 144 buildings were destroyed and 317 seriously damaged. Several military establishments were hit and the number of dead soldiers, 28, exceeded the number of civilians killed, I 5. 187 civilians and 64 soldiers were injured. Among the buildings severely damaged were all three of the factories of the Henschel aircraft company and the private wing of the city hospital. There were 73 large fires. The report also states that many bombs fell outside the town in fields and woods.source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
97 Squadron (Achieve Your Aim). Lancaster W 4139 was shot down at Dusseldorf, Germany. Flight Sergeant C.H. Hincks; Warrant officer 2nd C G.L.McKenna; Sergeant Lloyd; D.W Wallis and Flight Sergeant Wilkinson; were killed. Sergeants, Ambrose and Garland were taken P.O.W
