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Re: Three B-26 destroyed on the ground at Earls Colne, 22 March 1944
Not the war diary, but I have received a picture of the book "The Story of the crusaders: the 386th Bomb Group (M) in World War II", where this crash is described:
"A practice move had been made by all groups in IX Bomber Command. Each was called on to swap bases with one of the other groups of the command. Due to the shortage of transportation it was decided to keep the moves to the minimum distance possible. The 386th had swapped bases with the 323rd at Earls Colne. Whether it proved that either group was mobile will never be known but it is a matter of historic record that the move took place. It was a costly move for the 386th in that one night during the operation, the German Air Force decided to make an attack on Earls Colne. Two Ju-88s were shot down by the defending anti-aircraft battery. One fell, with full bomb load, within 100 feet of Perktory, (Bob Perskins' airplane), blowing it to small bits. All that remained of the Ju-88 and the Marauder was the Marauder's vertical tail and a large pile of rubble. The following day the Group moved back to the relative peace and quiet of Great Dunmow where nothing ever happened."
I guess that if more B-26 would have been destroyed, there will be a mention in this book.
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