Mission: 112; Date: 15/16 November 1944
Target: Essen, Germany, Industry
Aircraft: Ferocious Florrie (3rd mission); Pilot: Peter Mason
Given the attacks experienced by Ferocious Florrie on the previous missions, we were expecting anything and were keeping our eyes well and truly peeled. But there was no sign of any enemy aircraft on our flight to Essen. No enemy were encountered near the target either. Searchlights were quartering the sky but did not pick us up; no wild boar were met with over the target. But the heavy flak was bursting all around, albeit blindly, so it was no surprise when one burst nearby as we made our bomb run; two shards struck — one on the port aileron, which had no effect on its operation, the other chipping some paint off the nose. Although it buffeted "Florrie" a bit, Stan Bates remained steady and dropped our load well. Intelligence indicated to us that we were about 30% on target. The flight home was just as uneventful, meeting no tame boars at the target nor over the Netherlands. Landing was in good weather and no problems encountered.
Bomb run: ON 30%; Flak hits: 2; Damage points: 6