Quote:
Originally Posted by spidge  Black Thursday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/s...a5204792.shtml
Did you know that following a raid on Berlin on the night of 16 / 17th December 1943 (to become know as 'Black Thursday') the official communiqué stated that 24 of our aircraft failed to return?
Further to that, however, because of severe weather and fog, 32 aircraft crashed over England with 127 killed and 34 injured. These were by far the worst bad weather casualties sustained throughout the war and brought the overall total for the night, in grim reality, to 294 killed and 14 prisoners of war. |
Interestingly, The Bomber Command Diaries states that 25 were lost on the mission, and a further 30 crashed due to bad weather, making a total of 55 aircraft for that operation. However, Chorley BCL puts the figure at 58 (I need to do a recount to confirm the split). But 97 Squadron suffered the most from the bad weather, lossing 1 aircraft on the mission and 7 aircraft due to the weathe:
http://www.97squadronassociation.co.uk/flightops4.html
JB963Q F/L D.Brill, F/L J.Handley (2nd Pilot), Sgt J.Stone, P/O T.McIntyre, P/O R.Butler, Sgt H.Chappell, P/O G.J.Little, F/Sgt E.Battle. Up 1655 – missing.
JB119F S/L D.Mackenzie, P/O J.Pratt, F/Sgt R.Marshall, F/O W.A.Colson, F/Sgt A.Hunter, F/Sgt W.A.Lang, F/Sgt K.Kirby. Up 1645 Down 0045. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing at base. Captain, Flight Engineer and Air Bomber killed.
JB531Y P/O F.Smith, Sgt F.E.Durn, P/O J.W.Arturson, F/Sgt J.A.Wilson, Sgts G.H.Townend, N.Stewart, C.A.Bradshaw. Up 1700 Down not shown. 5 x 2000lb. Bombs released on Berlin from 20,000’. No results of bombing seen. On return to base fog and low cloud made landing dangerous so crew baled out from 7,000’. All landed safely.
JB117C F/Sgt I.W.Scott, Sgts E.W.Collishaw, J.Peek, D.R.Irvine, S.G.Parrott, K.Foxcroft, S.L.Hope. Up 1650 No down time. 5 x 2000lb. Aircraft crashed on return to base due to fog and low cloud. All members of the crew were killed.
JB243P S/L E.A.Deverill, F/Sgt A.Russell, P/O J.T.Brown, F/Sgt J.Farr, F/Sgt R.Crossgrove, W/O J.Benbow, W/O D.J.Penfold. Up 1645 Down 0015. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed at Grevelay on returning from attack on Berlin owing to very bad visibility and low cloud. All members of the crew were killed except the mid upper gunner who was injured.
JB219R P/O J.Kirkwood, F/Sgt E.Hubbard, Sgt R.Stewart, F/O G.A.Wigley, Sgts R.G.Cleeve, L.Madeley, J.Killen. Up 1650 Down 0010. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing on returning from raid on Berlin owing to bad visibility and low cloud, all members of the crew being killed.
JB482S F/O R.L.Mooney, Sgts F.B.Gray, G.A.Johnson, F/Sgt J.Worsdale, Sgt N.D.Cameron, F/Sgt G.Woolf, F/Sgt L.Smith. Up 1705 Down 0035. 5 x 2000lb. Berlin bombed from 19,500’. Target identified by red and green TIs and Wanganui flares. On return crew baled out owing to weather conditions making landing too dangerous.
JB176K F/O E.Thackway, Sgts G.Grundy, J.Powell, P/O L.K.Grant, P.H.Mack, R.Lawrence, L.N.Laver. Up 1655 Down 0100. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing after raid on Berlin due to fog and low cloud. The Captain, Flight Engineer, Navigator, Air Bomber and mid upper gunner were killed. Wireless Op was injured but the rear gunner escaped injury.
The attachment is from the Bomber Command Diaries by Middlebrook.