Appendix 1

Cover
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Appendix 6

	Appendix 1
	50, 44 & 83 Squadron’s Operations on 17 April 1941
	From Public records Office Air 27/448,486,686

50 Squadron

"Seven aircraft were detailed to bomb an aiming point in Berlin. Route via Skegness then direct. 10/10 low cloud over North Sea both going out and return. Over Germany no cloud but a thick haze over Berlin possibly due to fires or smoke screen. One aircraft returned to base owing to failure of gyro compass and vertical speed indicator. Two other aircraft had flames coming from starboard engine so they attacked alternative targets . . . Three aircraft were successful in reaching Berlin but exact aiming point could not be seen due to haze or smoke screen. Bombs dropped on a calculated position . . . Except for much searchlight activity on first part of route little opposition was encountered.

One aircraft landed at Newton due to engine trouble. One failed to return. It was later learned that this aircraft had crashed in Ireland. All four members of the crew were killed."

Aircraft Identity	Time Up	Down	Hours & mins	Comments and target
AD730	2010	0434	8.24	Captain: P/O Hill This aircraft detailed to bomb aiming point in Berlin. Fix given on return flight as 5 miles SW of Watton. Crashed near Blessington Ireland. All crew members killed.
X2919	2015	0300	6.45	Captain: Sgt Mares Landed at Newton. Did not return to base owing to engine problems.
X3145	2025	0445	8.20	Captain: F/O Weston Target attacked
AD728	2020	0105	4.45	Captain: S/L Good Diverted to Emden. Bombs dropped from 16,000 ft
AD797	2030	0425	7.55	Captain: Sgt Moore Owing to static wireless assistance was not obtained
X2919	2035	2230	1.55	Captain: Sgt Hanmer Gyro horizon and vertical speed indicator failed. Bombs dropped in North Sea. Returned to base.
AD897	2220	0530	7.10	Captain: F/O Whitecross Course on return journey uncertain until fix obtained. Believed that London had been overflown.

44 Squadron

Summary
7 Aircraft detailed: 3 reached Berlin, 2 of which failed to identify primary target owing to bad visibility: 2 failed to reach Berlin owing to excessive petrol consumption: 1 failed to take off, 1 missing presumed ditched in North Sea.

Aircraft Identity	Time Up	Down	Hours & mins	Comments and target
AD755	2030	0440	8.10	Captain:W/Cmdr Misselbrook Bad visibility over target. Unable to identify aiming point. Bombs dropped in approximate position of Brandenburg. Bursts not observed
AD747	2010	0340	7.30	Captain: P/O Ross Main target not attacked due to excessive petrol consumption. Attacked Rail Junc. south of Flensburg at 23.41
AD767	2005	0340	7.35	Captain: P/O Baker Main and alternative targets not reached. Bombed railway Stn. Hamburg at 23.45 hrs.
X3150	2015	0520	9.05	Captain: Sgt Mercer Bombed alternative targets Berlin from 11,000 ft at 0100. Two bursts observed.
P4285	2015	0445	8.30	Captain: P/O Robertson Target not identified. Intense searchlight activity and thick ground haze. Bombed on estimated position at ETA over target. No photo owing to difficulty of pin-pointing and thick haze.
X2999	2015	Failed to return		Captain: Sgt Neeson Presumed ditched in North Sea

83 Squadron

Summary
Six aircraft detailed for Berlin. Thick ground haze over Berlin. One identified target, one estimated target from pinpoint. Two release bombs without identifying target. Two released bombs on unidentified towns.

Aircraft Identity	Time Up	Down	Hours & mins	Comments and target
X3059	20.35	0425	7.50	Captain: P/O Petty Target not located due to ground haze. Dropped bombs on centre of city.
X3121	20.36	0334	6.58	Captain: Sgt Blanks Ground haze made target location impossible. Heavy flak. Bombs released over this area.
AD759	20.45	0500	8.15	Captain: Sgt Stevens Target bombed successfully.
X3144	20.40	0550	9.10	Captain: Sq/L Anderson Ground haze cloud & darkness made target identification difficult. Pin-pointed Lake Stralan & target bombed from there.
X3189	20.42	0340	6.58	Captain: F/L Rainford Thick ground haze made target identification impossible. Bombs dropped on target at ETA, but speed of return journey led to doubt if estimated position of bombing correct.
X3118	20.48	0315	6.27	Captain: P/O Sells Ground haze & smoke made target location obviously impossible. Bombs dropped on large town estimated to be in Ruhr district.

Appendix 2