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REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 23.09hrs from Snaith joining 238 Lancasters, 141 other Halifaxes, 112 Wellingtons, 70 Stirlings and 10 Mosquitos. 572 aircraft in all. 34 aircraft were lost - 10 Lancasters, 10 Wellingtons, 9 Halifaxes and 5 Stirlings - 5.9% of the total force.

While making for base on the return run, the port inner engine of DT637 failed. A forced landing was made at 06.51hrs on 13th May 1943 in a field near Riccall airfield, Yorkshire.
No serious injuries were reported.

THE DUISBURG RAID 12/13th MAY 1943

Time of raid: 01.56hrs - 02.47hrs

Weather: No cloud, half-moon setting at 03.20hrs, moderate visibility

Force: 572 aircraft - 238 Lancasters, 142 Halifaxes, 112 Wellingtons, 70 Stirlings, 10 Mosquitos

R.A.F. Losses: 34 aircraft, 5.9% of the force - 10 Lancasters, 10 Wellingtons, 9 Halifaxes, 5 Stirlings

This was the fourth raid on Duisburg during the Battle of the Ruhr, the first 3 having been only partially successful. The Pathfinder marking on this night was near perfect and the Main Force bombing was well concentrated.

The centre of Duisburg and the port area just off the Rhine, the largest inland port in Germany, suffered severe damage. 21 barges and 13 other ships totalling 18,921 tons were sunk and 60 ships of 41,000 tons were damaged. 1,596 buildings were destroyed and 273 people killed. 4 of the August Thyssen steel factories were damaged.

Nearly 2,000 prisoners of war and forced workers were drafted into Duisburg to repair the bomb damage.

It was not deemed necessary to attack Duisburg again during this period.

In response to the raid, the Germans flew 160 Himmelbett sorties, mostly by NJG1 over the Netherlands and the Dutch coast. The clear weather conditions were favourable to the night-fighters. NJG1 crews claimed 24 bomber kills en route over the Netherlands, damaging a further 10.

I./NJG1 at Venlo destroyed 10 bombers, IV./NJG1 at Leeuwarden claimed 8, III./NJG1 at Twenthe was credited with 5, Oblt. Geiger and BF Uffz. Koch of VII./NJG1 scored three, and Major Ehle, Kommandeur of II./NJG1 claimed one. Two other crews from II./NJG1 reported undecided claims, and two from III./NJG1 both claimed, and were credited with, the same Lancaster ED239 of 57 Squadron, shot down at Maasniel near Roermond.

On the German side a Bf110 F-4 of the 1st Staffel, piloted by Fw. Nepperscmitt, made a forced landing at Gilze-Rijen at 01.55hrs. This was probably the aircraft claimed by the rear gunner of a Halifax as being a Bf110 damaged 30km NNE of Arnhem. Returning bomber crews claimed a Ju88 near Deventer at 01.41hrs and another near Winterswijk at 02.03hrs. A further Ju88 was damaged over the Netherlands.
Researched by our volunteer Jeremy Nicholson for the Aircrew Remembrance Society with assistance from 51 Squadron History Society
Acknowledgments:
With thanks to: Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries".