july 1943, Lancasters over north italy

[micky]

Hello friends, i have a question: On the night between 15th and 16th july 1943, Lancasters from 50, 9 and 617 Squadron hit some electrical stations in north italy (San Polo and Arquata Scrivia). Two Lanc was lost, but the other join their base in north africa. There, if remember correctly, they stay until the 21 july, when returning in England they hit Livorno Harbour.

Well, on the night between 17th and 18th july, six Lanc hit the Electrical power station of Reggio Emilia, and any source i have found tell me that they was from 617 Squadron, and was they that hit San Polo.

Thanks to the 617 Sqn Operation Book, i know that the 617's Lanc remains in africa until 21 july, how is possible that they hit Reggio Emilia? Thanks in advance.

Michele

[Steve49]

According to 'Beyond the dams to the Tirpitz' the 617 Squadron's twelve aircraft bombed a power plant at Aquata Scriva and a transformer station at San Polo D'Enza on night 15/16 July. They then remained at Blida, Algeria until 24th July; bombing Livorno (Leghorn) on the return trip.

So it doesn't seem that they carried out an operation on the 17/18th July.

Regards

Steve Pegge

[Laurent Rizzotti]

According to the "Bomber Command war Diaries" by Midddlebrook, the second raid was not on the night of 17-18th, but on the night of 16-17th:

Quote:
"18 Lancasters of 5 Group attempted raids on two more trnasformer stations in Northern Italy. 7 aircraft bombed the Cislago station accurately but the second target was not located and an alternative target was bombed instead. 1 Lancaster lost.

On the night of 17-18, BC only flew four OTU sorties over France.

Now the losses:
On 15-16th: 3 losses/24 bombers
Lancaster III JA679 of 9 Sqn lost over Italy (1 KIA, 6 POW)
Lancaster III DV167 of 50 Sqn lost over Italy (7 KIA)
Lancaster III EE190 of 61 Sqn wrecked while trying to land in Blida, ALgeria (crew OK)

On 16-17th: 2 losses/18 bombers
Lancaster III DV183 of 207 Sqn lost over Italy (6 KIA, 1 POW)
Lancaster III ED538 of 467 Sqn crashed and burned on a North African base (crew unhurt)

Note: losses are higher than the figures of the BC War Diaries, because the latter only considered missing aircraft, not the one wrecked in friendly tereitory.

The interesting part being that these bombers apparently also landed in North Africa.

And then the return, on the night of 24th-25th:
Quote from BC War Diaries: "33 Lancaster of 5 Group returning from North Africa bombed Leghorn docks but the target was covered by haze and bombing was scattered. No aircraft lost"

To have 33 bombers for returning, you have to combine both raids (well, actually according to the above, 37 Lancaster should have been in North Africa).

Hope this helps

[micky]

Thank you Laurent, very interesting source:
"Quote:
"18 Lancasters of 5 Group attempted raids on two more trnasformer stations in Northern Italy. 7 aircraft bombed the Cislago station accurately but the second target was not located and an alternative target was bombed instead. 1 Lancaster lost."

The mean may be taht Reggio Emilia Power Station was bombed by some lanc of 5 Group, but not they from 617 Sqn, and that Reggio was the alternative target, or not?

Thank again

Mick

[micky]

Hi friends, from the Diary of the 467 RAAF squadron:

"15/16-7-1943, Cisliago:
467 Sq sent 5 Lancasters to join a small force attacking the electrical transformer station at Cisliago, and then to fly on to North Africa. F/L Carmichael, “A” Flight Commander, was attacked by a night-fighter which closed to 40 yards. Cannon fire killed the navigator. Sgt A.E. Murray, and damaged most of the maps. The crew reached North Africa without a navigator. F/L Hany Locke’s aircraft was hit by flak and damaged. One fuel tank was holed and, when they reached North Africa, they crash landed out of fuel."

May be the date was wrong, night of 16/17 instead of 15/16, the squadron involved was the 207. Anyone have some data from this squadron? Thanks

Mick

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Murray was not Australian but English: Sgt (Nav.) Eric Anthony Murray (note different order of names) is buried in El Alia cemetery and his death date is given as the 17th of July 1943, so is coherent with a raid on the 16th-17th (the 207 Sqn loss this night took off from UK on 2232 onthe 16th, so the bombing should have taken place in the early hours of the 17th).

Also the 467 Sqn that crash-landed and burned in North Africa on the 16th-17th has the following crew:
F/O H B Locke RAAF
Sgt W G Holt
Sgt H H assall
Sgt F Townsend
Sgt R Butler
Sgt F J Champ
Sgt T Munro