Mission 110, 11/12th November 1944
Target: Bremen, Germany. Industrial
A.A.R. prepared and submitted by F.O. Bernard Keen
Pilot of Bird of Prey
Our last trip to this target was pretty uneventful; let's hope it's the same this time. We've had a good rest since the daylight mission and we are eager to score well on Jerry tonight.
Take-off was okay and we proceeded eastward. Weather was okay, a bit of cloud here and there. We first encountered Jerry as we were approaching the German coastline. A lone Me110 surprised us but failed to hit us with poorly placed
bursts. I advised the crew I was taking evasive action. With the plane angling the e/a found it harder to line us up. He fired a single burst that took us in the waist. Ray Hope, in the tail, reported that the starboard ammo track had been damaged. On the next approach Sgt. Jack Mills took a piece out of his port wing (-1) making him lose direction enough for his fire to miss us; he then left the engagement.
"Bremen coming up soon,"announced Navigator Geoff Lee. We could see searchlights piercing the sky ahead. There were also Flak explosions illuminating the clouds. We headed towards it. The beams and the Flak came so close but never enveloped us.
"Target secured."
"Steady as she goes."
A loud blast shook the frame. The control stick sought to escape my grasp. That was a near one.
"Steady!"
It seemed ages for Jack Mills to break the silence, "Bombs Away!"
We were unlucky. The Flak had all but ceased. We were leaving Bremen behind us. We took a hit. The nose all but fell apart. It was peppered with holes. "My heat is out. I think that's all," reported Sgt.Mills. "Let's know if it is about to drop off, "came Ray Hope's voice over the sqwark box, from the rear. "It'll unbalance me."
We were out over the North Sea. "How are you doing Jack?" I asked Sgt. Mills in the nose.
"Bit chilly now. But I'm doing okay though."
Fearing the likelihood of frostbite and not wanting to lose a crewman to it I advised the men. "Reducing altitude. Finding a warmer level. We're over water so no fear of Flak." And with that I dropped her 10,000feet.
With this new height we were able to see the moonshine on the broad expanse of water below. We made landfall without incident and landed smoothly back at base.
Subsequent information gave us a 40% accuracy in our delivery on Bremen. Our Groundcrew Chief assessed and advise very minor damage. (22 Peckhams)