April 1943: Venturas shipping attacks

[Darius]

Hello friends,


according to Chronik des Seekrieges, there were some attacks by RAF Venturas on shipping in Western Europe, in April 1943:
https://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/43-04.htm

3.– 5.4.1943
Luftkrieg Westeuropa
Am 3.4. fliegen 12 Venturas des RAF Bomber Command einen Angriff gegen den Schiffsverkehr vor Brest.
Am 4.4. greifen 24 Venturas des RAF Bomber Command eine Werft in Rotterdam an.
Am 5.4. greifen 12 Venturas des RAF Bomber Command den Hafen von Brest an und beschädigen einen Tanker.

15.– 18.4.1943
Luftkrieg Frankreich
Am 15.4. greifen 13 Venturas des RAF Bomber Command ein Walfangmutterschiff im Trockendock von Cherbourg an.
Am 18.4. fliegen 12 Venturas des RAF Bomber Command Angriffe auf den Hafen von Dieppe. Bei einem dieser Angriff wird vor Fécamp der Hilfsminensucher M 3817 / Paria versenkt.

Do you have any hint for the squadrons involved?

Regards

Darius

[SteveR]

4 April (Rotterdam) was 12 Venturas each from 464 and 487 Squadrons.

18 April (Dieppe) was 12 Venturas from 487 Squadron.

Source: 464 Squadron ORB and 487 Squadron ORB.

[SteveR]

3 April (Brest) was 12 Venturas from 21 Squadron.

5 April (Brest) was 12 Venturas from 21 Squadron.

15 April (Cherbourg) was 12 Venturas from 21 Squadron.

Source: 21 Squadron ORB.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

3 April 1943: 12 Ventura of 21 Sqn to attack the shipping in docks at Brest.

5 April 1943: 12 Ventura of 21 Sqn to bomb 490ft tanker at Brest. Heavy explosion seen after bombing, and bursts alongside the tanker. Four aircraft and three crew lost (last crew picked up after ditching near Portreath).

15 April 1943: 12 Ventura of 21 Sqn to attack whale oil factory ship "Solglint" in dry docks at Cherbourg.

Source: 21 Sqn ORB

[MW Giles]

3 April - 12 Venturas of 21 Sqn to Brest (10 Group Ramrod 61)
4 April - 12 Venturas of 464 Sqn and 12/13 of 487 Sqn to Caen (Ramrod 51/II)
- 11 Venturas of 21 Sqn to St Brieuc (10 Group Ramrod 62)
- 12 Venturas of 464 Sqn and 12 of 487 Sqn to Rotterdam (12 Group
Ramrod 14 - 1 a/c lost from each sqn
5 April - 12 Venturas of 21 Sqn to Brest, 4 lost (10 Group Ramrod 63)

I see others beat me to it while I was typing

Martin

[Laurent Rizzotti]

You can find some details from the German point of view here: https://archive.org/stream/wardiaryg...3germ_djvu.txt