Operation – Chemnitz – 14/15 February 1945.
Operation Thunderclap - Second Raid.
At the Yalta conference on the 4th to 11th Feb 1945 the Russians made a direct request for heavy air attacks on communications and supply centres in the east of Germany in support of their advancing armies. They asked for the cities of Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz to be targeted. RAF Bomber Command and the USAAF were directed to mount these attacks a short while after. Berlin was removed from the list however for reasons unknown.
The German night fighter defences were by 1945 stretched to breaking point but while dwindling numbers and fuel shortages had reduced their frequency the area they were defending had also shrunk.
Arthur Harris, Commander in Chief RAF Bomber Command, was concerned that these long missions deep into eastern Germany in bad weather would be problematic but approved the attacks. This series of attacks was named Operation Thunderclap.
The first of these attacks against Dresden on the 13/14th February 1945 devastated the city and remains controversial to this day.
The second big raid was mounted the following night against Chemnitz. A very elaborate series of diversionary and spoof raids were linked to two attacks. 499 Lancasters and 218 Halifaxes attacked Chemnitz and a smaller force of 224 Lancasters and eight Mosquitoes attacked the oil refinery at Rositz about 20 miles south of Leipzig with the two forces spaced out at about a three hour interval. There was also a diversionary sweep into the Heligoland Bight by 95 aircraft releasing Window to simulate a large attack heading for northern Germany. In addition 46 Mosquitoes raided Berlin, 19 to Mainz 14 to Dresden and 12 to Duisburg, 11 to Nuremburg and 8 to Frankfurt. Mandrel screening was provided by 21 aircraft covering both phases of the attack. Minelaying in the Kadet Channel was carried out by 54 Halifaxes and Lancasters. Finally 87 Mosquitoes conducted offensive patrols.
103 Sqn at Elsham Wolds tasked 13 aircraft for this operation and 576 Squadron at Fiskerton 14 aircraft. For 103 Sqn F/O W E Baker RCAF and crew were first up at 2000 and for 576 Sqn the crews of F/O D E Till, F/O G Paley and F/O A H De Mille RCAF were first away also at 2000.
From 103 Sqn F/O M W Armour RCAF lost his port outer engine on take off but managed to gain height. He was ordered to fly out to sea to jettison his load and then returned safely to base.
Weather was very good but outbound but on arrival in the target area it was found to be covered with 10/10 cloud with tops at around 14/15000ft. Very few Wanganui pathfinder flares could be seen and, on the Master Bombers instructions, the crews bombed on their best navigational aid results. The attack was rather scattered as a consequence.
Opposition was almost none existent and only a few bursts of heavy flak were noted. No combats were reported by either Squadron but one bomber was seen to go down on the run up to the target.
From 103 Sqn F/O W E Nightingale landed at Woodbridge on return. First back at Elsham Wolds was F/O W E Baker and crew at 0440. From 576 Sqn F/O G Paley and crew were first to return at 0435.
Post raid reconnaissance showed that many parts of the city were hit but that most of the bombing fell in open country.
The attack on Rositz fared better with damage caused to the southern part of the oil plant.
For the Chemnitz and Rositz attacks 8 Lancasters and 5 Halifaxes were lost.
The total sorties for the night were 1316 with 23 aircraft lost.
Chemnitz was attacked in force again on the night of the 5/6th March 1945 with better results.
Compiled by David Fell mostly from 103 and 576 Squadron ORBs, 1 Group ORB, By Day and by Night: Bomber War in Europe, 1939-45. Ken Merrick, Middlebrook's Bomber Command War Diaries.
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