A fighter attack somewhere near Hamburg left us full of holes but still fit to continue. A second attack some 100 miles NW of the target seriously injured the mid upper gunner,who was put on the rest bed and tended by the W/Op while the rear gunner drove off the fighter. After what seemed a fairly good bomb run,we were picked up by another fighter which was seen to go down in flames.
Our hopes for a quiet return trip were ended north of Magdeburg when we were raked by an unseen fighter. The bomb aimer was killed and a fuel tank was hit and started leaking. It was calculated that we could only get as far as Holland,so we decided to try to ditch in the North Sea and hope to be rescued. As we began to descend in preparation for ditching another fighter attacked and killed the rear gunner. We diched as planned and all the survivors managed to get in the dinghy and we were picked up by a launch some hours later. The injured gunner will recover but will not be flying again.
Signed F/Sgt.R.Metcalfe, pilot, 314 Squadron.