mystery squadron with 2000 lbs

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Dear Steve,

In these dark days for Christmas with lots of snow, your promising (but yet not conclusive) response does lighten up my hopes to find answers at last !!

Because I can imagine, that some ORB's did not specify the bombloads and just captured it in one word 'bombs', I hardly can imagine that where these bombloads explicitly were ordered by Group staff for its squadrons, one squadron took 2000 lbs instead of the ordered mix of 4000 lbs and incendiaries. Therefore my assumption remains a firm suspection, that 214 or 218 squadron carried those six 2000 lbs. to Duisburg.

We can exclude 15 and 149 Squadron, the first brought 'only' 5 bombers over Duisburg and they all bombed before 20.00 hours. Of 149 I only know at the moment that they have sent 5 Stirlings to Duisburg, further details not known yet.

214 Squadron had 6 Stirlings over Duisburg, they all bomber between 19.42 and 20.02, further details would be of tremendous help.

Well, any details you might be able to provide of the times over target and/or bomb load involved, would be much appreciated! You may contact me directly by: marcelhogenhuis@gmail.com

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Marcel

[Steve Smith]

Originally Posted by Marcel Hogenhuis

Dear Steve,

In these dark days for Christmas with lots of snow, your promising (but yet not conclusive) response does lighten up my hopes to find answers at last !!

Because I can imagine, that some ORB's did not specify the bombloads and just captured it in one word 'bombs', I hardly can imagine that where these bombloads explicitly were ordered by Group staff for its squadrons, one squadron took 2000 lbs instead of the ordered mix of 4000 lbs and incendiaries. Therefore my assumption remains a firm suspection, that 214 or 218 squadron carried those six 2000 lbs. to Duisburg.

We can exclude 15 and 149 Squadron, the first brought 'only' 5 bombers over Duisburg and they all bombed before 20.00 hours. Of 149 I only know at the moment that they have sent 5 Stirlings to Duisburg, further details not known yet.

214 Squadron had 6 Stirlings over Duisburg, they all bomber between 19.42 and 20.02, further details would be of tremendous help.

Well, any details you might be able to provide of the times over target and/or bomb load involved, would be much appreciated! You may contact me directly by: marcelhogenhuis@gmail.com

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Marcel

Marcel,

I have checked both squadron ORB's and the No.3 Groups Operations Records Book Air25/67 and NO squadron from the group dropped a 2000lb bomb on this raid, sorry. !!

A Merry Christmas to you and Happy Research. !

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

hello Steve,

Again many thanks for your invaluable help: yesterday I received page 3 of the ORB of 214 Squadron, confirming at least for that squadron that 6 aircraft bombed Duisburg but all had 1000 lbs and/or 500 lbs. and lots of incendiaries.

For my overview of all individual aircraft involved that night, I don't hardly dare to ask whether you might provide me with the serials of the bombers which went to Duisburg from 75, 115, 149 and 214 Sqd. (17 in total) and their time over target ? The info for 15 and 218 Sqd. is complete. Just a simple list (squadron X, aircraft YYYYY, time WW.ZZ hours) would be sufficiant and much appreciated! You could use: marcelhogenhuis@gmail.com if you want.

Well, if 3 Group wasn't dropping 2000 lbs. bombs that night, my number of options have increased again where I finally hoped to narrow it down (grrrr...) It now seems to me that an unknown squadron took 2000 lbs. instead of the ordered 4000 lbs. with them.

Many thanks for your help! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from a snow covered Venlo,
Marcel

[Steve Smith]

Marcel,

I will email you details via the 3 Group Operations Book in the next few hours. I am away for a few days, so I hope this information will keep you going. It includes all the No.3 Group aircraft that took part, bombloads, bombing heights and a brief note by each crew.

Regards

Steve