[Steve Brew]

I have a couple of pages on this Ramrod in 'Blood, Sweat and Valour', and can add that "the Bomphoons rendezvoused with their escorts over Rye and traversed the Channel at 500 feet. They commenced their climb 12 miles off the coast and flew directly to Abbeville-Drucat Airfield.

175 Squadron’s Bomphoons made the first bombing run on the target, from north to south at altitudes of 6,000 to 11,000 feet. The bombs of two aircraft overshot and hit a factory outside the airfield’s perimeter, two aircraft bombed the nearby marshalling yards and one bombed the airfield.

182 Squadron then went in from south to north at 5,000 to 9,000 feet, and their bombs were seen to burst at the intersection of the southwest-northeast and east-west runways and southern dispersals area. Between the two Bomphoon squadrons, a total of twenty-two 500 lb. bombs were dropped, and although moderate heavy accurate Flak was experienced over the airfield, the Luftwaffe was not seen and the Typhoons returned uneventfully."

The victory claims were made by 91 Sqn's OC, Sqn Ldr Raymomd Harries, but 197 Squadron’s Sgt Plt Leonard S. Clark was shot up in Typhoon Ib, DN371, and ditched four miles south of Newhaven. A fix was given and he was eventually picked up by HSL 145. 41 Sqn's Fg Off Rycherde Hogarth was shot down and killed, Fg Off Tom Slack was shot down and evaded, and Flt Sgt Douglas 'Jackie' Fisher sustained combat damaged and was wounded.

Regards
Steve