VIIIUSAAF and BC failures at the Wesel bridges.

[Dave Wallace]

There was also a sizeable daylight attack (298 aircraft) on Feb.17 that was also a failure. While 7 of the 12 Oboe Mosquitoes acting as primary markers dropped their target indicators succesfully, only 8 Halifaxes had bombed when the Master Bomber called it off because of 10/10ths cloud.
On March 6th the Oboe Mosquitoes from 109 and 105 Squadrons led formations of Mosquitoes from the LNSF (608,571 & 128 Squadrons were involved,possibly others) on "Oboe Leader" attacks on Wesel.
From the 105 Squadron ORB:
"Six aircraft, 3 primaries and 3 reserves, led three formations of non-musical Mosquitoes for an afternoon attack. All of the primaries coped and the formations were satisfactory. Cloud was 10/10ths in the target area, and as our troops were in the vicinity, sky marking was considered too dangerous, and so the two Oboe squadrons were given the task of bombing the concentration of German armour in the area."
At 109 Squadron, the other Oboe Squadron, they had been given orders to "stand down" for the day at 10 am. At 10:30 they were told to stand by for an urgent call, at 11:00am they were called to provide 3 primaries and 3 reserves for the Oboe Leader formation attacks in the afternoon and at 11:30 am they were called on for 25 aircraft for another attack on Wesel that night (as was 105 Squadron), marking for 87 Lancasters of 3 Group.
In the afternoon attack 109 Squadron's primary and reserve Mosquitoes in one formation collided, killing S/L GM Smith and F/L WA Jones DFC in MM193.
Regards
Dave Wallace