Operation – Leuna - 6/7 December 1944.
Synthetic Oil Plant.
The huge synthetic oil plant at Leuna/ Merseberg produced fuel and chemicals for the German Reich and was a high priority and heavily defended target. RAF Bomber Command detailed 475 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitoes for this attack from 1, 3 and 8 Groups
103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds provided 20 aircraft and 576 Squadron at Fiskerton 18 aircraft
First up for 103 Squadron was F/O P P Hague and crew in NE698 at 1634. For 576 Squadron F/O K F Mills, F/O C F Phripp and F/O D E Till were first away at 1635.
All aircraft took off in rather poor weather conditions with considerable cloud.
F/O Stepharnoff RCAF and crew of 103 returned early with unserviceable navigational aides and F/O Verniuewe and crew also of 103 had to land at Woodbridge with electrical problems
On arrival in the target area it was found to be covered with 10/10 cloud with tops to around 6,000 feet. The 10 supporting aircraft of the first wave bombed on H2S and the remainder bombed to the Wanganui Skymarker flares but the 103 Squadron ORB states that the returning crews thought the bombing rather scattered.
The 576 Squadron ORB contains more detail. 60 miles from the target the cloud increased to 10/10ths and the target itself was covered with 10/10ths alto cumulus with tops between 12,000 ft and 14,000 ft. There was a Master Bomber on this attack. PFF opened with red target indicators but due to the cloud cover it was impossible to bomb the ground markers. The Master Bomber ordered the aircraft to bomb the emergency sky markers red and green stars. These were plentiful and crews bombed on the same. An accurate assessment of the bombing could not be made because of cloud cover. However several explosions and fires were reported.
No searchlights were reported. A moderate heavy flak barrage was met in the target area with some attempts at prediction. The barrage was very loose between 12,000 ft and 25,000 ft
The 1 Group ORB confirms the above and also notes that explosions and fires were still visible 60 miles from the target. Defences were strong with heavy flak in predicted and barrage form and quite a number of fighter flares were observed.
From 576 Squadron F/O Hardman RAAF and crew opened fire on a twin engined night fighter which was seen descending in flames through the cloud. F/O Mills and crew sighted a single engined night fighter and the air gunners opened fire and claimed a damaged. Both these incidents took place on the return flight. F/L Leyton-Brown encountered engine problems on the return and came back on three.
First back from 103 Squadron was F/O G W Henry RAAF and crew at 0031 and from 576 Squadron F/O F C Durrant RCAF and crew in PB637 at 0028.
F/O H W Johnson RCAF and crew in NG276 of 103 Squadron failed to return from this operation. This crew are thought to have been a flak victim in the target area. They were on their second operation. Six killed and one missing.
Post raid photographs showed considerable damage had been caused to the plant.
An interesting postscript to this attack came to my attention years ago when I friend of mine met an elderly German chemist whilst on holiday. He had worked at Luena and mentioned this night raid in particular. He informed my friend that the attack that night had completely devastated the plant to such an extent that there was nothing left that could be repaired and the plant was out of action for the rest of the war.
Also that night 453 RAF bombers attacked Osnabruck with only partial success although some useful destruction was achieved.
Giessen was attacked by 255 bombers and severe damage was recorded.
Minor operations included 42 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 10 to Schwerete and 2 to Hanua. 37 Radio Counter Measure Sorties were flown and 47 Mosquito patrols.
The total effort for the night was 1,343 sorties with 23 aircraft lost.
Compiled by David Fell
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