It was almost as if the Germans didn't care what we did, as long as we didn't get home. Unger did see a Me-110 behind us as we neared the target, but he set it on fire before I could even begin taking evasive action. There was no opposition over the target, and Yanacek made a good drop on the markers. (Of course, with the cloud cover, we have no idea what the markers were over.)
Shortly after turning for home, a twin-engined fighter slammed our starboard wing from below. He hit it again before I got us away, and we began losing petrol. Schmidt figured we couldn't make it back to the station, but if all went well, we could make it back to England.
Over the North Sea and almost out of danger, a Me-110 got by Unger and hit both wings. Evasive action couldn't prevent us from taking a couple shells in the cockpit. One cracked the windscreen, and the other smashed the elevator controls.
Despite the lack of elevator control, I set us down safely in East Suffolk. With repairs and fuel, we'll be back to the station for the next mission.
P/O Jonathan Uhl
Pilot, Moonlight Cocktail
January 17, 1945
97 Peckham Damage Points