After two dicey trips and with three new crew members, there was some apprehension before this sortie to Frankfurt. This fear seemed justified as we were intercepted by a fighter as we crossed the enemy coast. However, the rear gunner spotted it on the way in and after avoiding the first attack, the mid-upper gunner saw it off in flames.
Some 50 miles before the target, we were intercepted again and this time the R/G hit the fighter before it opened fire and saw it explode.
On the run up to the target, yet another fighter attacked and put a few holes through the aircraft but once again the R/G's fire destroyed the fighter. Although we were picked up by searclights and attacked by a single-engined fighter, the bomb aimer managed to put our load somewhere near the markers.
As we left the target, another fighter attacked, put a few more holes in us and was seen to be hit by the R/G and crash. Just as we started to think we were were over the worst, somewhere over Belgium, another fighter picked us up unnoticed, but missed with his first burst. As he attacked again,the R/G hit him with a long burst and both he and the MU/G saw him go down minus his port wing.
I would like to commend the 'press on' spirit of the crew and the luck that saw us come up against a number of seemingly inexperienced German night fighter pilots.
Signed F/Sgt. Metcalfe, pilot, 314 Squadron.