23 February – 1 March 1945

Posted on by propatria27

Overview

Attacks continued on German targets this week to Pforzheim, Neuss and Mannheim. The Pforzheim mission was the first to that town and was devastating, destroying more than 80% of the buildings and killing 17,000 people, the third largest total after Hamburg and Dresden. The Master Bomber, Captain Edwin Swales DFC, a South African, received the last Bomber Command VC of the war during this raid.

Only one aircraft was lost this week, on a training flight, with 6 aircrew killed, but one other was seriously damaged, following an out of control rear turret (see Station Diary below), whose machine guns caused all the crew but the pilot to bail out. The Flight Engineer was so seriously injured he did not fly again.

Extract from Station Diary

Flt Lt Large and his crew, who were involved in the incident with the out of control rear turret (see above) – L to R, J Gant – B/A, J Jarvis – M/U, D Mackey – F/E (63), A C Newey – Nav (424), H Hopwood – R/G, W Raycraft – W/T (83), J Large – Pilot (in cockpit)

Extract from Appendix to 12 Sqn Operational Record Book

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