November 1943

18^th

This was the first bombing run for William Uyen over enemy territory and the beginning of the battle of Berlin.

395 aircraft,- 248 Halifaxes, 114 Sterlings and 33 Lancasters – of 3, 4, 6 and 8 groups were on this major diversionary raid. German fighters successfully engaged the bomber force and 23 aircraft - 12 Halifaxes, 9 Sterlings, 2 Lancasters were lost.

The Lancaster squadron all bombed Berlin,
whilst the Sterlings and Halifaxes bombed Mannheim.
The reason for this was that the Lancasters were capable of
carrying more load and had a better ceiling and speed.

Cloud was present over the target area and much of the bombing was scattered. Mannheim reports that the majority of the damage was in the north of the city. 4 industrial buildings were destroyed and 11 seriously damaged, the most serious being the Daimler-Benz car factory witch suffered a 90% production loss for 'a unknown period'.

325 other buildings were destroyed and 335 seriously damaged, including 2 churches and 3 schools. 4 army barracks and the airfield at Sandhofen were all hit. 21 people were killed, 154 injured and 7,500 bombed out. Many bombs fell outside the city and the local report lists much damage and loss at farms.

Squadron 78

17 aircraft detailed for operations, Target Mannheim
JD373, LW235, JD173, LW226, LW313, LW300, LW319, JP117,
LW330, LW223, LW338, LW318, LW271, HR748, JD376,
LW234 and LW320 were made operational.
Weather: Fair to cloudy, occasional showers of hail, rain and sleet.

November 18^th ,1943

Returned early

JD173

returned within the hour due rear turret unserviceable at 5220N/0045W
just before reaching Northampton

Returned early

JD376

returned early due navigator believing himself to be lost,
so they landed at 21.25 hour on Breighton airfield.

Dameged

LW226

Part of bombs brought back owing to aircraft being hit by flak,
resulting in hydraulics being shot away.

Handley Page Halifax II

JP117 EY-Y

November 18^th 1943

Target Mannheim

Airborn:

16:47 hour, Breighton Yorkshire

Bombing on

16.000 ft at 20:51 hour

Landed:

00:39 hour, Breighton Yorkshire

Crew JP117 EY-Y

F/O Hudson, H.

(capt.)

F/O Robertson, W.

(Nav)

P/O Uyen, William

(B.A.)

Sgt. Monks, H.

(W.Op)

Sgt. Hillis, J.

(F.Eng)

P/O Lane, Jack

(R.G.)

Sgt. Moris, J.

(M.U.)

Target was attacked and bombed from a height of 16000 ft. at 20:51 hour being identified by PFF. Green TI markers. TI's were widespread slightly off the mark. Concentrated fires were seen along the river, also three large yellowish explosions seen in the target area.

(The JP117 was one of two 78 Sqdn Halifaxes lost on the operation of 21 January 1944.
JP117 was initially issued to No.78 Sqdn, was detached to No.3 Overseas Aircraft Preparation Unit, then returned to No.78 Sqdn Airborne 20:04 hour on the 21th of Jan '44 from Breighton. Reached the target and bombed at 23:10 hour from 20,000 feet. On return and possibly as a result of Flak damage, crashed 02:15 hour SE of Heslerton, 12 miles WSW of Filey, Yorkshire. All were declared fit for operations 23 Jan '44. Sgt. W. Hockler Sgt. W. Walker Inj. F/O F. Sait RCAF F/O F. Henderson Sgt. S. Howard Sgt. W.McLean Sgt. W.GW.G.baron )