A near complete report (minus chart/map) documents all operations for one night in RAF Bomber Command. At the bottom is the corresponding O.R.B. from the Mike Laffin crew. (Image cropped to save space on site)

SECRET

NIGHT RAID REPORT NO. 566

29/30th MARCH, 1944

VAIRES M/Y : Lyons : Kiel : Cologne : Aachen : Krefeld SUMMARY

1. 84 Halifaxes and Mosquitos were sent to attack the marshalling yards at Vaires, in the Paris area. They bombed the target most accurately in bright moonlight, causing enormous damage. There was little opposition. One Halifax was lost.

2. 19 lancasters went to the aero-engine factory at Lyons, and hit it very severely. 16 of the 22 buildings were damaged. Mosquitos raided Kiel and industrial targets in western Germany. No other losses were sustained.

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3. Midnight frontal positions:- Cold from 55N.05w. – Barrow – Clacton – Stuttgart.

Bases: At 2230 10/10ths to 12,000 ft. South of Wash. Broken cloud at 2-3,000 ft. further N. After midnight, all bases will have well broken cloud and moderate to good visibility.

Germany :- Convection cloud to 15,000 ft. over North Sea, penetrating inland to 09d.E., but becoming broken southwards. Extensive clearness between 09-12dE., and N. of 50dN. Much cloud further E. and S. Brunswick: at least 7/10ths.

France: Little cloud except in extreme N.E. Shoot of strato-cumulus will reach Paris at about 2200.

VAIRES M/Y

4. Route Selsey Bill – 5000N 0115E – Target 4845N 0245E – 4910N 0300E – 5000 0115E – Selsey Bill.

5. Method of Attack: 2 OBOE Mosquitos on channel 1 and 2 on channel 3 were to mark the aiming-point with red T.I. The main forces were to aim at the centre of all reds, with normal bombsight setting. Line of approach: 322 deg.

6. Timing Zero hour: 2130

Duration of attack: 2128-2200

1 Mosq. @ z-2

1 Mosq. @ z

41 Hals. @ z to z+6

1 Mosq.- @ z+10

1 Mosq.- @ z+12

37 Hals. @ z+12 to z+18

1 Mosq. @ z+22

1 Mosq. @ z+24

Reserve Period @ z+24 to z+30

7. Tactics Bombing height: 12-13,000 ft. aircraft were to bring their bombs back if no markers were visible. If unable to attack in the first or second waves, they were to bomb in the reserve period. Mosquitos were to drop 24 bundle each of WINDOW in the target area; other aircraft, 1 bundle per minute from 0030E and back, but 2 per minute in the target area. 1 reserve was to accompany each mosquito.

8. No. of aircraft despatched: 84

No. of aircraft reporting attack on Primary Area: 77 (91.7%)

No. of abortive sorties: 6 (7.1%)

9. Bases: As forecast

Route: 10/10ths over channel and N. France, tops 12-13,000`, with static and light rime. Cloud broke N. of Paris.

Target: Clear below cirrus levels. Half moon. Haze. Moderate visibility.

Wind at 16,000 ft. 300 deg. /45 m.p.h.

10. The Mosquito timing was uneven, and the first did not bomb until z+8, but at z+1 the second aircraft dropped markers only 263 yards from the aiming-point. The second pair of Mosquitos did not attack until z+19 and z+21, All the main force which should have attacked in the second wave joined the first force. The markers were clearly visible, and the bombing was well concentrated around them.

11. Exceptionally severe and widespread was caused. 121 hits were scored on the south marshalling sidings, 44 on the forwarding sidings and 33 on the north marshalling sidings. In the centre of the forwarding sidings an area measuring 250 x 125 yards was completely devastated, apparently by the explosion of two munitions trains. 3 of the 6 bays of the engine sheds were destroyed, and the roads to the locomotive turntable and the cooling tower were out. The cool yard offices and the upper storeys of the drivers and firemen's quarters were gutted. 8 craters were visible on the transshipment sidings. Various subsidiary buildings were damaged, and much rolling stock was destroyed.

12. A few fighters were seen to the N.E. of Paris, but no combats were reported. A little heavy and light flak was fired from the target.

13. One Halifax was lost without a trace. No other damage was sustained.

LYONS

14. 19 Lancasters of 5 group attacked the S.I.G.M.A. aero-engine components works at Lyons in clear weather. The target was accurately marked with red spot fires, and the aircraft attacked from 10,000’ under the instructions of the master bomber. No defences were met, and all the aircraft returned undamaged. Photographs showed very grave damage, involving 16 of the 22 building, some of which were completely destroyed.

15. 32 non-OBOE mosquitos were dispatched to Kiel. 2 Y-aircraft dropped T.I. on H2S, and these were bombed by most of the other aircraft. The attack was reported as concentrated . From this and all other mosquito raids on this night., all aircraft returned undamaged.

COLOGNE

16. 4 ALBUM LEAF Mosquitos attacked Cologne, all making successfully controlled runs.

17. 5 MK.I Mosquitos were sent to Aachen. One attacked on OBOE and 3 on D.R> or E.T.A. The fifth abandoned its task for technical reasons.

KREFELD

18. 4 MK.I, 3 PENWIPER, 3 ALBUN LEAF and 1 FOUNTAIN PEN Mosquitos were detailed against the Edel stool works at Krefeld. All made successfully controlled runs.

MLM/MTA

BC/S.26342/4/ORS4

4^th July, 1944

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Here is the corresponding O.R.B. from the W/O1 Mike Laffin Crew/434 Squadron 

Aircraft: Halifax V

Coded: WL - G

Numbers: LK - 992

Time up: 1835

Down: 0055

DETAILS OF SORTIE

Target: VAIRES. Primary. 2148 hrs. 12,700 ft 220 M. IAS 160 Haze over T/A. Ident. target by red T.I`s cascading to the ground and land. Bombed T.I`s red. A large explosion seen in T/A, smoke up to 10,000 ft. and fires seen afterwards. PFF was 4 mins. late so we made an orbit and bombed in second wave.