Here is what Tony Wood had on this day in a file he built years ago for RAF activity in 1943:
Ramrod S.6 (Zero 08.00) This Ramrod was in fived Parts. Part I: 36 B-26 Marauder to attack POIX airfield. Results target bombed at 08.26, dropping 349 x 300-lb. IB on North-East & South-East dispersals. Part II: 21 B-26 Maraders to attack Power-Station at Grand-Quévilly. Rendezvous Hastings, 08.00 hrs., with 21 B-26 dispatched. One B-26 lost, reason unknown. Close-Escort: 124 Airfield (Spitfires LF.Vb) of 132 & 602 Squadrons. West Malling (Spitfires LF.Vb) of 130 & 234 Squadrons. Escort-Cover: Redhill (Spitfires LF.Vc) of 131 & 504 Squadrons. High-Cover: Hornchurch (Spitfires IX) of 129 & 222 Squadrons. Target-Cover: North Weald (Spitfires IX) of 331 & 332 Squadrons. Close-Escort & Escort-Cover engaged 17-plus FW 190s of the Seine Estuary, 3 Spitfires & pilots missing. Part III: 18 Mitchells II of No.2 Group, to attack Bernay/St. Martin airfield, to rendezvous Hastings 08.40 hrs. Ramrod abandoned due to weather. Part IV: 2 Bostons III of No.2 Group, to attack Beaumont-le-Roger airfield, to rendezvous Beachy Head 08.45 hrs. Ramrod abandoned due to weather. Part V: 8 Typhoons Ib Fighter-Bombers (Bomphoon) of No.83 Group, to attack POIX airfield, to rendezvous Hastings 08.40 hrs. Ramrod abandoned due to weather.
VIII Air Svce. Cmd. # 36B: 3rd Bomb-Wing
18.15 rv: B-26 Marauders: 1 lost
RAF 11 Gp. 130 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF.Vb 07.40-09.30 Ramrod S.6 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 No casualty M-BS: Grand Quevilly
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 130 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 08.30 ca: Norville
Escort-Cover: Redhill
RAF 11 Gp. 131 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF.Vc 07.35-09.35 Ramrod S.6 0 - 0 - 1 Me 109G 2 Cat.Em Me 109s M-BS: Grand Quevilly
Cat.Em 27.08.43 P/O F.W. Bateman: kia 11 Group 131 Sqn. Spitfire Vc: EE768 Me 109s W. Quevilly
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/Sgt. G.F. Andrews: p/w 11 Group 131 Sqn. Spitfire Vc: EP547 Me 109s W. Quevilly
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 131 Sqn. 0 - 0 - 1 Me 109G 08.50 ca: W. Grand Quevilly
RAF 11 Gp. 504 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF.Vb 07.35-09.35 Ramrod S.6 0 - 0 - 0 n/a 1 Cat.Em Me 109s M-BS: Grand Quevilly
Cat.Em 27.08.43 Sgt. C.H. Jacotine: kia 11 Group 504 Sqn. Spitfire Vb: BM302 Me 109s W. Quevilly
Ramrod S.7 (Zero 17.00) Low-level by 7 Bostons III of 107 Squadron, No.2 Group, to attack Power-station near Gosnay. Two attacked, while a third was hit by light-Flak and collided with another, both crashing. A third Boston was lost when FW 190s attacked the remaining force of the route out-bound.
RAF 11 Group Low-Ramrod S.7
18.30 rv: 6/107 Sqn. Bostons III: 3 lost
:
RAF 2 Gp. 107 Sqn. 6 Boston III 18.20-19.59 Ramrod S.7 0 - 0 - 0 n/a 3 Cat.Em Lost Tasked: Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Allison: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Fairfax: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Rankin: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/Sgt. Parsons: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Locke: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Pattinson: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/Sgt. Mc Leod: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Kelly: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/Sgt. Jones: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 W/O Anderson: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O Wilkinson: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Cat.Em 27.08.43 Sgt. Edwards: mia 2 Group 107 Sqn. Boston III: OM- Lost on mission to Gosnay
Ramrod S.8 (Zero 18.00) Ramrod was attack on St. Omer rail-yards (subterfuge for the first attack on what was to be a Crossbow-Target: the Todt Org. construction-site at Watten, near St. Omer: Ed.) U.S. VIII Bomber Command to dispatch four CBWs (each with 60 B-17s) in four waves. Results: 185 attacked releasing 368.0-tons of bombs, 4 lost, 7-0-6 claimed by gunner-crews. Fighter-Cover for 1st Wave: Biggin Hill (Spitfires IX: 66) of 341 & 485 Squadrons. North Weald (Spitfires IX) of 331 & 332 Squadrons. Top-Cover: one Fighter-Group of P-47s of U.S. VIII Fighter Command. Narrative: Biggin Hill Wing continously engaged from St. Omer to Mardyck on return, claimed 2-1-2 FW 190s for loss of two pilots. One P-47 missing.
Fighter-Cover for 2nd Wave: Redhill (Spitfires LF.Vb) of 131 & 504 Squadrons. 127 Airfield (Spitfires IX) of 403 & 421 Squadrons. Northolt (Spitfires IX) of 303 & 316 Squadrons. Horhchurch (Spitfires IX) of 64 & 313 Squadrons. Top-Cover: two Fighter-Groups of P-47s of U.S. VIII Fighter Command. Narrative: Twelve E/A seen, engagements in which 313 claimed 1-0-0 FW 190. Fighter-Cover for 3rd Wave: Tangmere Wing (Spitfires XII) of 41 & 91 Squadrons. Fairlop Wing (Spitfires LF.V) of 302 & 317 Squadrons. Hornchurch Wing (Spitfires IX) of 129 & 222 Squadrons. Narrative: 18 FW 190s were seen by Tangmere Wing in the distance, Fairlop Wing sighted 6 Me 109s. Hornchurch Wing engaged 9 FW 190s and claimed 3-0-1 for no loss. Fighter-Cover 4th Wave: Kenley Wing (Spitfires LF.V) of 66 & 165 Squadrons. Narrative: Wing engaged 10 FW 190s in the St. Omer area, claiming 1-0-0 for no loss. Summary for Ramrod S.7 & S.8: Claims 8-1-3 FW 190s. Losses: 4 Spitfires, 4 B-17s, 3 Bostons & 1 P-47 Thunderbolt.
VIII Bomber Command # 87: 1st & 4th Bomb-Wings
18.00 z: 224/187 B-17 Fortress: 4 lost
RAF 11 Gp. 341 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF IX 18.04-20.26 Ramrod S.8 2 - 1 - 2 FW 190 2 Cat.Em FW 190s H-BS: Watten
Cat.Em 27.08.43 Cmdt. R.G. Mouchotte dfc: kia 11 Group 341 Sqn. Spitfire F.IX (66): MH417 FW 190s St. Pol
Cat.Em 27.08.43 Sgt. P. Magrot: kia 11 Group 341 Sqn. Spitfire F.IX (66): NL- FW 190s St. Pol
Claim 27.08.43 Capt. M. Boudier 11 Group 341 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
Claim 27.08.43 Sgt. P.H. Closterman 11 Group 341 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
Claim 27.08.43 S/Lt. M. Laurent 11 Group 341 Sqn. 0 - 1 - 0 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
Claim 27.08.43 S/Lt. M. Laurent 11 Group 341 Sqn. 0 - 0 - 1 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 341 Sqn. 0 - 0 - 1 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
RAF 11 Gp. 485 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF IX 18.04-20.20 Ramrod S.8 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 No casualty H-BS: Watten
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 485 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.20 ca: St. Pol
2nd Fighter-Cover Hornchurch:
RAF 11 Gp. 313 Sqn. 13 Spitfire LF.Vb 18.30-19.25 Ramrod S.8 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 No casualty H-BS: Watten
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 313 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.00 ca: S.E. Calais
3rd Fighter-Cover Composite:
RAF 11 Gp. 222 Sqn. 12 Spitfire F.IX 18.33-20.17 Ramrod S.8 3 - 0 - 1 FW 190 No casualty H-BS: Watten
Claim 27.08.43 F/Lt. H.P. Lardner-Burke 11 Group 222 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.30 ca: St. Omer
Claim 27.08.43 F/O O. Smik 11 Group 222 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.30 ca: St. Omer
Claim 27.08.43 F/O R.B. Hesselyn 11 Group 222 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.30 ca: St. Omer
Claim 27.08.43 F/Lt. H.P. Lardner-Burke 11 Group 222 Sqn. 0 - 0 - 1 FW 190 19.30 ca: St. Omer
RAF 11 Gp. 41 Sqn. 12 Spitfire XII 18.35-20.05 Ramrod S.8 0 - 0 - 0 n/a 2 Cat.Em Fighter H-BS: Watten
Cat.Em 27.08.43 F/O D. Haywood: p/w 11 Group 41 Sqn. Spitfire XII: EN611 FW 190s St. Omer
Cat.Em 27.08.43 P/O L. A. Prickett: p/w 11 Group 41 Sqn. Spitfire XII: EN236 FW 190s St. Omer
4th Fighter-Cover Kenley:
RAF 11 Gp. 66 Sqn. 12 Spitfire LF.Vb 18.43-20.40 Ramrod S.8 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 No casualty H-BS: Watten
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 11 Group 66 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 FW 190 19.40 ca: St. Omer
U.S. VIII Fighter Command dispatched 173 P-47s of 4th, 56th, 78th & 353rd FGs on Bomber-Support to Watten military-installations. One Flight of 56th Group was
bounced by Spitfires resulting in damage to a P-47. Combat claims amounted to 8-1-2 for loss of one P-47 and pilot of 353rd Group. Note: no mention of U.S. VIII Fighter Command's operations of this day is listed in R.A.F. Fighter Command's list of Combats and Casualties, Air 16/888-890. The above data is from "Diary of Mighty Eighth" by Roger Freeman ff. 100. On examination of VIII Fighter Command Narrative for 27th August, 1943, held in PRO File Air 40/436, no combat claims or losses were sustained by the four Groups operation on Field Order # 116. Editor: Tuesday, 18 July 2000.
Defensive Operations:
13 Group Interception-Patrol
RAF 13 Gp. 312 Sqn. 2 Spitfire Vb 17.47-19.13 Interception 1 - 0 - 0 Ju 88 No casualty 35 sm. E Peterhead
Claim 27.08.43 Pilot 13 Group 312 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 Ju 88 18.35 ca: 35 sm. E. Peterhead