totals Bomber Command losses in West 1942

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

I'm currently compiling tables for the NJWD 2nd edition giving accurate monthly statistics for totals of Nachtjagd claims, Flak claims, and shared Flak/Nachtjagd claims for the years of 1940-1944.

In order to give a good presentation of these figures, I need an accurate total of the Bomber Command losses sustained in raids against Germany and the Occupied Territories during 1942 (i.e. losses in the West for 1942). I have found a total of 1,674 stated in Bill Chorley's vol. for 1942, but I believe these also include losses in the MTO?

Cheers and thanks, Theo

[Stig Jarlevik]

Theo

Without checking, MTO was not part of Bomber Command and would fall outside Chorley's scope. Also Midlands published one volume of Gunby/Temple named Bomber losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean (Vol 1) and it would seem rather odd to do the same losses once more.

Having said that I don't know what statistics Chorely used...., so perhaps you have to start counting, 1...2....3....etc

I know, I know its late, but I think you can take some ribbing (with my hat off!

Cheers
Stig

[Peter Clare]

I have attempted to upload the aircraft losses for 1942, if it does not load then I will repost

[Peter Clare]

It seems I cannot upload a document to this thread so.......

1942 Night and Day ops RAF Bomber Command

Aircraft Dispatched 29929
Aircraft Attacked the target 24696
HE 26255.5 tons dropped
Incendiary 19245.2 tons dropped
Aircraft Missing 1303

Issued by - The War Room Manual Of Bomber Command Operations 1939-1945 - The Air Ministry War Room Statistical Section.

[BC]

Thank you for those very interesting 1942 stats Peter, most enlightening.
Regs,
BC

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Chorley is only counting losses of units belonging to Bomber Command or attached to it (OTU, HCU) and will include some MTO losses for 1942, but very few (for example, two aircraft of 138 Sqn detached to MTO for clandestine operations and destroyed at Malta in early 1942).

If you take the figures in the 1942 losses book, these will include losses of front-line units (including non operational losses) and losses of OTU suffered in Bomber Command raids (especially the 1000-bomber operations). It won't cover all OTU operational losses (the patrols over the Bay of Biscay under Coastal Command are not there), and will exclude also the Coastal Command losses suffered during Bomber Command raids (again for the 1000-bomber operations). Units of Bomber Command detached to Coastal Command won't be included also (for example, 61 Sqn lost several Lancasters in such service during the summer of 1942).

The figure of missing aircraft displayed above is for the aircraft that did crash outside England (in Europe, ditched in the sea or went missing), so operational losses were higher than that.

[Theo Boiten]

Hello and good morning chaps,

Many thanks for sharing these details, which are indeed useful for the analysis of the German NJ & Flak claims against Bomber Command in 1942.

Cheers and have a good Sunday, Theo

[Peter Clare]

Originally Posted by Peter Clare

It seems I cannot upload a document to this thread so.......

1942 Night and Day ops RAF Bomber Command

Aircraft Dispatched 29929
Aircraft Attacked the target 24696
HE 26255.5 tons dropped
Incendiary 19245.2 tons dropped
Aircraft Missing 1303

Issued by - The War Room Manual Of Bomber Command Operations 1939-1945 - The Air Ministry War Room Statistical Section.

The document I hold covers principal targets attacked by RAF Bomber Command 1939-1945 and covers raids to the following......

Germany
Italy
France
Low Countries
Norway
Denmark

It also covers individual targets in these countries by year but not a specific raid.