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27/28 April 1944 Lancaster Mk III - ND803 A4-B |
This a/c was believed to have strayed over the Swiss border and was shot down by Swiss flak,
crashing at/in the Bodensee on the Swiss border.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Claim by Hptm Leopold Fellerer Stab II/NJG5 - Bodensee (ET 7): 4,800m at 02:20.
Also claimed by Flak of 2, 5, 7 & 8/schw Flak Abt 705, 2/schw Flak Abt 241 and 1-4/schw Flak Abt 455.
("Halifax Bodensee 02:10-15"). Victory confirmed for Hptm Fellerer on 18 August 1944.
Crashed in Bodensee.
Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944. Part 2 Theo Boiten.
Info via John Jones
322 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of Nos 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups.
This was a raid with some interesting aspects. The Air Ministry had urged Bomber Command to
attack this relatively small town in moonlight because it contained important factories making
engines and gearboxes for German tanks.
But the flight to this target, deep in Southern Germany
on a moonlit night, was potentially very dangerous;
the disastrous attack on Nuremberg had taken place only 4 weeks previously in similar conditions.
However, Friedrichshafen was further south and on the fringe of the German night-fighter defences; because
of this and the various diversions which confused the German controllers, the bombers reached the target
without being intercepted. However, the German fighters arrived at the target while the raid was taking place.
1,234 tons of bombs were dropped in an outstandingly successful attack based on good Pathfinder marking;
Bomber Command later estimated that 99 acres of Friedrichshafen, 67 per cent of the town's built-up area,
were devastated. Several factories were badly damaged and the tank gearbox factory was destroyed.
When the American bombing survey team investigated this raid after the war, German officials said that this
was the most damaging raid on tank production of the war.
8 Lancasters were lost, 5.6 per cent of the force.
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary April 1944.
ORB. 27th APRIL 1944.
18 aircraft (20 aircraft - 7 from 'A' Flight - 6 from 'B' Flight and 7 from 'C' Flight - 2 aircraft were withdrawn)
were detailed to attack FRIEDRICHSHAFEN and took off between 2147 and 2210 hours.
Weather was again clear and the target was identified by red and green target indicators and
visually by river and building-up area.
Path Finder Force were considered scattered in the beginning but later more concentrated.
Bombs and incendiaries were dropped from heights varying between 16,500 and 21,000 feet.
Many fires and explosions were observed in target area.
One crew reported three orange coloured explosions believed to be petrol.
Reports on the raid were somewhat conflicting but the majority of crews considered it successful.
One aircraft returned early to base with instrument trouble, petrol leak, and throttle desynchronised.
A/C. B.ND.803 (Captain - F/S. STEWARD) reported missing from operations - no news since take-off.
Photographs was attempted.
0615. 17 Aircraft had returned to Base.
P/O - Service No 174930
Age: 22
RAFVR
Son of Edward H. and Margaret Stewart, of Lochee, Dundee.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 212
Source: CWGC.
Lees John Richard - FE
Sgt - Service No 1821316
Age: 27
RAFVR
Son of John and May Lees, of Blantyre, Lanarkshire.
Durnbach War Cemetery - grave 4. C. 30.
Source: CWGC - Find a Grave.
Lewis John Iorwerth Gedrych - Nav
F/O - Service No 147660
Age: 24
RAFVR
Son of David and Gladys Lewis.
Husband of Joan Gray Lewis, of Whitchurch, Glamorgan. Married on 7 April 1944.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 207
Source: CWGC.
Gommo John - WOP
Sgt - Service No 1585090
Age: 21
RAFVR
Son of John Victor and Daisy Ada Millicent Gommo, of Bristol.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 289
Source: CWGC.
Wooden Kenneth George - BA
Sgt - Service No 1324073
Age: 23
RAFVR
Son of William Charles and Nellie Wooden, of Egham, Surrey.
Husband of Molly Wooden, of Egham.
Durnbach War Cemetery - grave 4. C. 28.
Source: CWGC - Find a Grave.
Lodge Vincent - MUG
Sgt - Service No 1592543
Age: 19
RAFVR
Son of Edgar and Clara Lodge, of Halifax.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 233
Source: CWGC.
Thompson Robert John - RG
Sgt - Service No 3005260
Age: 18
RAFVR
Son of Robert and Phoebe Ann Thompson, of Dalston, London.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 239
Source: CWGC.