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Old 12th September 2020, 02:46
SteveR SteveR is offline
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Re: Combat Report 100 Squadron Lancaster ND356, 15-16 March 1944?

Apologies for my delay in getting back to this.

Of the 9 other Lancasters in the 2 files, only 1 was damaged. Here is the report from AIR 50/292/897:

1. Report No. 61(? - can't read the last digit) Night 15/16th March 1944. Lancaster Q/625 W.4263 STUTTGART
2. 4847N. 0910E. 2321 hrs. 21,000 ft. 165 mph. I.A.S. 010 deg. M.
3. 4/10 cloud below. Clear above. Starlight.
4. No searchlights.
5. Large bright orange flare very close on stbd bow at time of attack.
6. 1 Ju.88.
7. No lights carried.
8. Not known.
9. 300 yds. Dead astern crossing to stbd.
10. One attack from port beam, breaking away to stbd down.
11. Our aircraft corkscrewed.
(b) No instructions given, inter-com having been shot away.
(c) See (b).
12. Not known.
13. None to enemy aircraft. Cannon shell in port side of fuselage of our aircraft, inter-com system damaged, rear turret pipe lines holed, mid upper pressure line severed, oxygen lines to both turrets shot away. Both turrets u/s.
14. Nil.
15. Mid upper gunner: H(?).207383. Sgt. Bottomley. H.F., Trained at 3 B.& G.S., 1(?)0. T.U., 165(3?) C.U., 3 L.F.S.
Rear gunner: 1435457. Sgt. (Rimmer?) R.A. trained at 4 AGS, 11 OTU, 1653 CU, 3 LFS.
16. Boozer fitted. Warning received.
17. Our aircraft had just bombed and was proceeding out of the target area when it was illuminated by a large bright orange flare dropped on the stbd bow. The first warning of an attack was a cannon shell striking the rear part of the port fuselage which was at the time thought to be flak. A boozer warning was then received and the pilot, without waiting for orders from the gunner, immediately went into a corkscrew, until the warning light went out. By this time the inter-com was found to be u/s in both turrets while oxygen supply to the turrets had also been cut. Both turret hydraulic systems were u/s due to the pipe lines being severed. Neither gunner received injury. The mid upper gunner left his turret and plugged in to the oxygen extention (sic) lead to the mid under position and returned to his turret. The rear gunner, who was unconscious through lack of oxygen, was brought back to the rest bed position by the navigator and wireless operator and remained there for the major part of the return trip. No other encounter occurred. The E/A had made a surprise attack from the port beam and the first sighting the rear made was when it was sliding across from port to stbd. Boozer warning then being received, our aircraft went into violent evasive action and the E/A was lost to sight. Prompt action on the part of the pilot.

Could this be a match?
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