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Armed Reconnaissance/Leaflet Raid – Koblenz area – 20/21 March 1940

The First of Many.

103 Squadron Fairey Battle in flight

Following the hard winter of 1939/40 and the relocation of 103 Squadron to Plivot and then Betheniville 103 engaged in a period of intense training.

On the night of the 20/21 March 1940 the Squadron undertook its first sortie over Germany. This was an armed reconnaissance and night leaflet raid on Koblenz undertaken by F/L Charles E R Tait and crew. The aircraft they flew was Fairey Battle K9243 with the crew of Tait, Sgt Hedley – Observer and LAC Wall – Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.

They took off at 2356 and landed at 0320. The sortie was carried out at a height of 7000 ft. Little flak was encountered with few searchlights evident due no doubt to the layer of low cloud at 2000 ft.

5 nights later S/L Lee and F/L Ingram undertook a similar more ambitious operation in the Frankfurt, Hanau and Wiesbaden area.

Charlie Tait

Compiled by David Fell. Photos from my archive

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