AIR ATTACKS ON BREST 1941-42

[Chris Goss]

Before I plough through Bomber Command War Diaries, does anyone have a list of those dates between 22 March 1941 (Scharnhorst arrival) and 11 Feb 42 (Operation Cerberus) that Brest was attacked and, if possible, the sqns involved?

[MW Giles]

For Bomber Command

74 raids between those dates
Quick count 454 entries for squadrons on those raids (6.5 squadrons per raid roughly)

Coastal Command (incomplete data as still going through ORBs)

26 raids
35 squadrons (1.4 squadrons per raid)

Does not include a/c bombing Brest as a secondary or Gardening ops

The following list is for Bomber Command (includes daylight and night)

27/3/41 N = 27/28 March 1941 during hours of darkness

Does not include recce sorties or shipping recce sorties by Bomber Command

Date Day/Night
27-Mar-1941 N
29-Mar-1941 D
30-Mar-1941 D
30-Mar-1941 N
01-Apr-1941 D
03-Apr-1941 D
03-Apr-1941 N
04-Apr-1941 N
05-Apr-1941 D
06-Apr-1941 N
10-Apr-1941 N
12-Apr-1941 N
14-Apr-1941 N
22-Apr-1941 N
23-Apr-1941 N
28-Apr-1941 N
03-May-1941 N
04-May-1941 N
07-May-1941 N
07-Jun-1941 N
10-Jun-1941 N
13-Jun-1941 N
14-Jun-1941 D
15-Jun-1941 D
18-Jun-1941 N
01-Jul-1941 N
04-Jul-1941 N
06-Jul-1941 N
24-Jul-1941 D
06-Aug-1941 D
16-Aug-1941 D
03-Sep-1941 N
13-Sep-1941 N
02-Oct-1941 N
03-Oct-1941 N
22-Oct-1941 N
23-Oct-1941 N
24-Oct-1941 N
29-Oct-1941 N
01-Nov-1941 N
03-Nov-1941 N
18-Nov-1941 N
23-Nov-1941 N
25-Nov-1941 N
07-Dec-1941 N
11-Dec-1941 N
12-Dec-1941 D
12-Dec-1941 N
13-Dec-1941 D
14-Dec-1941 N
15-Dec-1941 N
16-Dec-1941 N
17-Dec-1941 N
18-Dec-1941 D
18-Dec-1941 N
23-Dec-1941 N
24-Dec-1941 D
27-Dec-1941 N
30-Dec-1941 D
02-Jan-1942 N
03-Jan-1942 N
05-Jan-1942 N
06-Jan-1942 N
07-Jan-1942 N
08-Jan-1942 N
09-Jan-1942 N
11-Jan-1942 N
25-Jan-1942 N
26-Jan-1942 N
27-Jan-1942 N
31-Jan-1942 N
06-Feb-1942 N
10-Feb-1942 N
11-Feb-1942 N

[Nick Beale]

Another possible approach might be via the Seekriegsleitung diaries (online in German and in American English). I imagine they’d take note of anything endangering their capital ships in port.

[Chris Goss]

Both: Most helpful thank you