RAF Wickenby – This week in history – World War 2
RAF Wickenby history week by week during World War 2
Bomber Command now reverted back to attacking German targets during this week, the first major raids on German cities for 2 months. Wickenby aircraft attacked Kiel Naval Base and Stuttgart, the later on successive nights. No aircraft were lost.
Attacks continued on sites in France, in direct support of the Allied forces in Normandy, especially the operation on 18th July prior to Operation Goodwood, the armoured breakout from Caen. Bomber Command aircraft dropped more than 5000 tons of bombs on German positions during this attack, which was described as one of the most useful operations in direct support of the Allied armies.
During the attack on the Courtrai marshalling yards on 20th July, 3 aircraft from Wickenby were lost, with 15 aircrew being killed, 4 evading capture and 2 becoming POW’s.
There were only 2 operations this week, to Caen and Tours, in support of the Allied forces trying to break out of the Normandy peninsular. One aircraft was lost over the Channel, with 2 aircrew killed. The aircraft lost was piloted by Pilot Officer J Oram, an Australian, who had already survived another crash landing on water in escaping from the Japanese invasion of Singapore. His son, a Wing Commander in the Australian Air Force, visited Wickenby last year with his family.
Attacks continued on flying bomb sites and railway marshalling yards in France. There is an interesting comment in the Station Diary about the accuracy of gunners shooting at drones during daylight, which was only 4.9% and wondering what their shooting was like at night!
Two aircraft were lost this week, with 6 aircrew killed, 4 becoming POW’s and 5 being injured when one aircraft crashed near Faldingworth, which is just north of Wickenby.
Several attacks by 12 and 626 Sqn’s on flying bomb sites this week – these sites had been bombed so much in recent days that it was becoming difficult to ascertain what damage was being caused. During the attack on Vierzon on 30 June, 4 aircraft were lost from Wickenby. In total, this week 6 aircraft were lost, 28 aircrew were killed, 9 became POW’s and 4 evaded capture.
PO Mike Guilfoyle and his crew who were shot down during the attack on Vaires on 27 June.
RAF Wickenby squadrons continued to support the Allied landings in Normandy and also attacked V2 flying bomb sites in France. Four aircraft were lost, with 14 aircrew being killed – one aircraft ditched in the sea and all the crew were rescued and one crashed on landing at Wickenby but all the crew escaped.
You will note that squadrons were now flying during the day against specific targets and sometimes flying more than one mission per day.
Wickenby continued to provide support to the landings in Normandy but also carried out one attack to Gelsenkirchen, where an experienced crew was lost. That attack was to knock out the Nordstern synthetic oil plant and was very successful due to a more advanced version of Oboe being used to obtain more accurate bombing.
The week of D-Day, the long awaited seaborne invasion of France by the largest flotilla ever assembled. During this week, Wickenby squadrons attacked targets on the coast and inland, helping to disrupt German supplies and troop concentrations. An indication of the importance of these attacks is the number of aircraft able to join the attacks (39 on one occasion, out of 40 on the station) and the low number of early returns.
There were no losses for 12 and 626 Sqn’s this week.
The week before D-Day saw Wickenby aircraft attack targets in Germany and France; Aachen, Tergnier and Berneval-le-Grand. Two aircraft were lost with 12 aircrew killed, one becoming a POW and one evading capture.
Aircraft from Wickenby took part in 3 raids this week, all to targets in Germany: Duisburg, Dortmund and Aachen. 3 aircraft were lost, 11 aircrew were killed, 6 become POW’s and 5 evaded capture. There are some very comprehensive reports below from some of those who evaded capture, helped by the imminent invasion of Europe by the Allied forces on 6th June and the very active resistance networks that had built up in the occupied countries.
RAF Wickenby - This week in history - World War 2 