5-11 January 1945

Overview

There were a variety of targets during this week, Royan in the Gironde district of France, Neuss and Munich in Germany and minelaying in the Baltic. The raid on Royan was particularly tragic – the town was being besieged by French Resistance fighters led by Free French officers but they were making no progress as they had no artillery. It was suggested (facts are disputed) by an American officer that the town be softened up by Allied bombing as the only residents left in the town were “collaborators” (this was not true – there were believed to be 2000 civilians present, who stayed to protect their homes) – once SHAEF heard of the proposed bombing, they cancelled it, but the message did not get through to Bomber Command and a large part of the town was destroyed and several hundred civilians were killed. There were recriminations for several years and one French general committed suicide.

Wickenby squadrons lost 3 aircraft on the Munich mission, with 16 aircrew being killed and 5 evading capture.