29 June – 5 July 1943

Overview

Two aircraft and 13 aircrew were lost this week, all during the attack on Cologne on 3/4 July. That night saw the first operations of a new German unit, Jagdgeschwader 300, equipped with single-engined fighters using the “Wilde Sau” (Wild Boar) technique.

Wilde Sau (Lit. wild sow; generally known in English as “Wild Boar”) was the term given by the Luftwaffe to the tactic used from 1943 to 1944 during World War II by which British night bombers were engaged by single-seat day-fighter aircraft flying in the Defence of the Reich.

It was adopted when the Allies had the advantage over German radar controlled interception. The fighters had to engage the British bombers freely as they were illuminated by searchlight batteries, while avoiding their own anti-aircraft fire. After some initial successes, rising losses and deteriorating weather conditions led to the abandonment of the tactic. Wikipedia

Simultaneous with Wilde Sau, Zahme Sau (Tame Boar) was introduced, in which the twin-engined night fighters in the Himmelbett system using individual ground-controlled interception were released. The fighters flew against the bomber stream in a co-ordinated operation over a wide area, guided by a running commentary derived from radar, ground observation, wireless interception and contact reports from aircraft tracking the bomber stream. Audio and visual beacons were used to assemble the fighters, which circled the beacons until the target was known and then intercepted the bombers, above a height beyond which the flak did not fire. Wikipedia

Extract from Station Diary

Extract from Appendix to 12 Sqn Operational Record Book