115 Squadron

14 October 1944

Lancaster Mk III - ND805 A4-J

T/O Witchford 0710 - target Duisburg Docks, Germany. "Operation Hurricane".
Shot down by flak.

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

Also lost on this mission:

1,013 aircraft - 519 Lancasters, 474 Halifaxes and 20 Mosquitos -
were dispatched to Duisburg with RAF fighters providing an escort.

This raid was part of a special operation which has received little mention in the history books.
On 13 October, Sir Arthur Harris received the directive for "Operation Hurricane":

"In order to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany generally the overwhelming superiority of the
Allied Air Forces in this theatre ...
the intention is to apply within the shortest practical period the maximum effort of the
Royal Air Force Bomber Command and the
VIIIth United States Bomber Command against objectives in the densely populated Ruhr."

Bomber Command had probably been forewarned of the directive because it was able
to mount the first part of the operation soon
after first light on 14 October. No heavy bombers had flown on operations for 48 hours.

957 bombers dropped 3,574 tons of high explosive and 820 tons of incendiaries on Duisburg.

14 aircraft were lost - 13 Lancasters and 1 Halifax; it is probable that the Lancasters
provided the early waves of the raid and drew the attention of the German flak before
the flak positions were overwhelmed by the bombing.

Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary October 1944. (last update 26/10/2018)

ORB. 14th Oct., 1944.
26 aircraft (7 from "A" Flt., 10 from "B" Flight 9 from "C" Flt.)
were detailed to attack DUISBURG but
1 failed to take off due to magneto trouble in starboard inner engine.
The remainder took off between 06.50 hours and 07.25 hours.
2 aircraft
K.HK.599 - Captain F/O. R. D. LISTER,
Lancaster Mk I - HK599 KO-K, 6 KIA, 1 POW.&
J.ND.805 - Captain F/O. D. M. PRICE,
failed to return from Operations - no news being received.
23 aircraft identified the target visually and bombed railway junction, factory or
build up area from heights ranging between 17,800 feet and 20,000 feet.
Fires were well concentrated - explosions were seen - bridge over river
appeared to be damaged. photographs were attempted.

11.25. 23 aircraft had returned safely to Base after Operations.

ND805 photo Tosh World tour 2012 blogspot