The 7 Sqdn left from Oakington at 1943-03-12 at 19:29

On Friday 12 March 1943, a member of the 7 Sqdn, Squadron Leader M E Thwaites, took off from Oakington in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on WW2 History Europe. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 19:29.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type I, serial W7617, code MG-A).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 42: 72 B-17's are dispatched by the 1st Bombardment Wing against the Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yard; 63 drop 156.5 tons of bombs on the target between 1241 and 1244 hours local. There are no losses and no claims on this mission; good fighter escort is a major factor in this no-loss mission. Eighteen B-24's of the 2d Bombardment Wing fly a diversionary mission with no losses or claims. The 4th Fighter Group flies 43 sorties in their Spitfire Mk V's; 41 are flown on a flighter sweep and 1 Spitfire is shot down near St. Omer, France; the pilot is listed as MIA; we claim 2 enemy aircraft damaged. The other 2 sorties were shipping patrols.

Campaign report of the RAF:

11/12 March 1943

Stuttgart

Unsuccessful raid on Stuttgart by 314 aircraft - 152 Lancasters, 109 Halifaxes, 53 Stirlings. The Pathfinders claimed to have marked Stuttgart accurately but the Main Force is reported to have been late arriving. The first use by the Germans of dummy target indicators is also reported. Most of the bombing fell in open country but the south-western suburbs of Vaihingen and Kaltental were hit. 118 buildings - nearly all houses - were destroyed, 112 people were killed and 386 were injured. 11 aircraft - 6 Halifaxes, 3 Stirlings, 2 Lancasters - lost, 3.5 per cent of the force.

11 Stirlings and 3 Lancasters laid mines in the Frisians and the River Gironde without loss.

12 March 1943

12 Mosquitos bombed an armaments factory at Liege and scored direct hits. 1 Mosquito lost.

12/13 March 1943

A return to Essen. 457 aircraft - 158 Wellingtons, 156 Lancasters, 91 Halifaxes, 42 Stirlings, 10 Mosquitos in another very successful Oboe-marked raid. The centre of the bombing area was right across the giant Krupps factory, just west of the city centre, with later bombing drifting back to the north-western outskirts. Photographic interpretation assessed that Krupps received 30 per cent more damage on this night than on the earlier successful raid of 5/6 March. 23 aircraft - 8 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 6 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings lost, 5.0 per cent of the force.

9 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians, 7 OTU sorties. No losses.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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