Withone day and one night mission under our belts, I must say I prefer the night. Our escorts did a wonderful job, but I'd rather not have seen the sky swarming with Messerschmidts. They met us as we crossed the coast, but none got through the fighter screen until we entered Germany. Quinn and our new Mid-Upper gunner, Weddell, each drove off an enemy aircraft, but not before we took some minor damage in the tail.
Flak over the target finished off our starboard rudder. Tannenbaum kept his eyes on the TIs, and put our load on target despite the jostling we got from the flak. One Me-109 dove on us from behind as we turned for home. Quinn did some minor damage, and our tail took some more in return.
Our escorts were overwhelmed as we passed back over the Netherlands. Quinn damaged a Me-110 and Tannenbaum damaged a Me-109, but neither went down. What seemed like an endless succession of attacks left our raft destroyed, both wings with serious damage including a rapidly leaking petrol tank in the port wing, Tannenbaum's heat out, Orchard slightly wounded at his
wireless, and holes all over Perdido's skin. It certainly could have been worse. We were subject to one more attack, rather half-hearted, before we left the continent and dropped out of formation to keep Tannenbaum warm.
We signaled for an immediate landing when we arrived at the station, and touched down with petrol tanks nearly dry. Orchard's wound isn't serious, and Perdido with its crew will be ready for the next raid. At night, we hope.
F/O Alexander Queen
Pilot, Perdido
October 1,
1944
143 Peckham Damage Points