8th August 1944. Weather: Fog till mid-morning then fair. Non-Operational Flying: 3 aircraft were flown to Farnborough and staying for special equipment to be fitted. Air tests were carried out. Operational Flying: BOMBING - FORET DE LUCHEUX PETROL DUMP. 17 aircraft detailed, took off, attacked primary target and returned safely to base. Weather was clear over target and early arrivals found the target well illuminated by flares. Bombing commenced on green TIs and reds were dropped slightly later, instructions being given by the Master Bomber to bomb red TIs. Target left well ablaze with large column of black smoke rising up to 7/8000 feet. One combat reported, FW-190 claimed destroyed. (Note: No combat report has been found to verify this claim). F/O R Limbert in PB142, JI-A reported: Bomb load 18 x 500 GP. Primary target: FORET DE LUCHEUX. Weather clear. Bombed at 2349 hours, 12,000 feet, red TIs. Fires and much black smoke, good, concentrated attack. Combat Report - Pro-forma: Aircraft: LM265 ‘E’ Captain: F/S S Wilson Target: FORET DE LUCHEUX. At 2349 hours, height 12,000 feet, heading 108 degrees T, position 5013N 0225E. Rear Gunner sighted a FW-190 at 500 yards range approaching from the starboard quarter up. Rear Gunner ordered to corkscrew and opened fire. E/A was subsequently lost in manoeuvre and was not seen again. Visibility was good with moon on starboard quarter. No searchlights, fighter flares or flak were encountered. MU Gunner – Sgt R Cooper – Nil. Rear Gunner – Sgt J Golden - 400 rounds. Target: Foret de Lucheux Petrol Storage. Aircraft deployed total: 180 514 Squadron: 17 Aircraft lost total: 1 514 Squadron: Nil Comments: 2 oil storage depots were attacked on this raid. The attack was successful.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 06:00:03 +0000
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