Target: Industry at Stuttgart
Date: 21/22 JAN 44
Met.: Generally clear and moonless
Encountered night fighters twice on the way to the target; both attacked before they were observed: the first hit the pilot compartment and knocked out the intercom. (Since we were more than halfway to the target I decided to carry on with the flight.) The Me-110 was hit and driven off by the tail gunner, Sgt. R. Church.
The second Me-110 attacked unseen just before the target zone and fairly well sprayed the fuselage, knocking out the heating in the nose and hitting the port wing root. Again the fighter was beaten off by the tail gunner before he was able to do further damage.
Once in the target area we were attacked by a Tame Boar who put hits into both wing roots before he was crippled and driven off. We were coned by the searchlight(s) and took several flak hits including a minor wound to Sgt. Laurel, bomb aimer; it also knocked out the heating in the nose, and hit the rudder. Next, an Me-109 approached but did no damage and the tail gunner, by putting some bullets into his fuselage, dissuaded him from trying further.
Our bomb run was off and we put no bombs onto the target.
The return home was uneventful. (Had we encountered HA it is questionable if we could have taken evasive action with the damage to the wing roots. The bomb aimer, in order to stay warm, rode most of the way home in the navigator’s compartment.)
In spite of the damage to the rudder we landed okay. (After a cursory examination the ground crew sergeant says he believes we will be serviceable by tonight)
Of the three attacks by 110’s, all were able to approach us without being spotted; this is a concern and has to be remedied. I have asked the crew – especially our two gunners - to talk with some of the more experienced crews.
F/O J. R. Atheling, Pilot