OPERATIONS No. 460 SQUADRON, R.A.A.F.

12 July, 1943.

B.C.I.N. 12/13.7.43
"Night Operations." TURIN. 295 Lancasters were despatched comprising 108 a/c of 1 Group, 130 a/c of 5 Group and 57 a/c of 8 (P.F.) Group. Reports which are far from complete, indicate that the attack was very successful. The weather was good and many fires, followed by explosions, were started with smoke rising to many thousands of feet. Flak is reported slight and searchlights not concentrated.

Several night photographs so far plotted are mainly N. and N.E. of the town with 3 on the aiming point.

Apart from the many reports outstanding, 14 a/c are unaccounted for, but they cannot as yet be regarded as missing.

A.M.B. 10858
Last night's attack on objectives in Turin by Lancasters of Bomber Command - the heaviest yet made no any target in Italy from bases in England - came at an opportune moment. As the main centre of the Fiat Armament industries, Turin has often been attacked from this country, but last night Bomber Command intervened in the Sicilian campaign by attacking a railway centre through which supplies pass from France and Germany. In recent months traffic to Italy by the Mont Cenis route and through Turin has greatly increased.

Italy has not hitherto been attacked from bases in this country during the shortest of the summer months. The recent attack on Spezia was made on the return journey from Africa, but last night the Lancasters started from and returned to England and as a considerable part of the homeward flight had to be made in broad daylight a circuitous route was taken.

Though most of the journey there and back was flown in stormy and difficult weather there was a clear sky in the target belt and reports agree that the bombing was both concentrated and effective. The defences were weak and seemed especially so to crews who had recently been over the Ruhr.

One Lancaster made two bombing runs, flying level for 10 minutes over the target without interference from the anti-aircraft guns. On the return journey electrical storms, even more severe than on the way out, interfered with compasses. "But it was the fatigue and monotony of the long trip that we mostly had to fight against" a wireless-operator said.

One Lancaster, piloted by P/O. John Good, of Winslow, Victoria, Australia, flew nearly the whole journey on three engines, and then escorted home another aircraft which had got into trouble and as a result was short of petrol. "After about an hour's flying F/O. Good said "We feathered the starboard engine and went on. We never thought of stopping. It didn't make any difference, although we crossed the Alps twice, and then, over the sea, we saw the other Lancaster firing distress signals and going slowly.

(Unfortunately the rest of the above is missing from the document that I have)

O.R.B. 12.7.43

CREWS - TURIN

S.O.P.R. SUMMARY

Twenty-one of the above mentioned aircraft attacked Turin. Bad weather conditions were met over the Alps, but very little opposition was encountered. Many good fires were seen spread well over the target, especially in the marshalling yards, and smoke could be seen rising to 4,000 feet.

Lancaster captained by Aus. F/Sgt. Magnus abandoned mission as inter-com failed at French Coast, and owing to icing A.S.I. failed and controls jammed. Bombs were jettisoned.

( some information missing here - bottom of page missing)

To Binbrook, Elsham, Ludford Magna, Rptd, Hemswell, Lindholme, HQBC.

From H.Q. No. 1 Group

A. Form B. Serial No. 1152. Task No. 1159

B. 12th July, 1943.

C. See Current Int. Signal. A total of 479 a/c are on this target tonight.

D. To cause maximum damage to the target area.

D. Night 12/13 July, 1943

F.

460 Squadron - 21 a/c

100 Squadron - 20 a/c

101 Squadron - 19 a/c

12 Squadron - 20 a/c

103 Squadron - 24 a/c

M. Zero hour will be 0040 hrs.

4 a/c from each of the following Squadrons 460, 100, 101, 12, 103 Squadrons. These a/c to be manned by best crews. plus 34 Lancasters of other Groups.

5 a/c from each of the following Squadrons 460, 100, 101, 12, 103 Squadrons. These a/c to be manned by next best crews. plus 41 Lancasters of other Groups.

92 Halifaxes

90 Halifaxes

All remaining a/c from 460 Squadron and 101 Squadron and 6 a/c from 103 Squadron, plus 39 Lancasters from 5 Group.

All remaining a/c from 100, 12, 103 Squadrons plus 39 Lancasters from 5 Group.

Tactics

A. Rendezvous Selsey Bill 16/17000 ft.

B. Maintain a height of at least 15,000 ft. to the enemy coast. Then use additional speed to pass through the coastal defended belt and dive down to the tops of medium cloud and fly just above it, so that cloud cover may be utilised in the event of fighter opposition.

C. Keep at medium height until it is necessary to climb to cross the Alps.

D. Bomb not below 14,000 ft.

E. Adopt similar tactics for the return journey, flying along the tops of any available medium cloud between 4800N. and 5000N.

N.7 If cloud cover is not available the Halifaxes and Lancasters Mark II (3 Group) will be cancelled. Waves 5 and 6 will then become waves 3 and 4. T.O.T. Z plus 8 to Z plus 12 and Z plus 12 to Z plus 16 respectively. Zero hour for this attack will be 0145 hrs. and the route as follows:-

Bases - Dungeness - Cayeux - Lake Annecy - Target - turn wide right - 4700N/0600W - 4830N/0630W - Lizard Point - advanced bases which will be allotted by telephone.

N8. Tactics in the event of the attack detailed in N.7 above, taking place,

A. Rendezvous Dungeness 15/16,000 ft.

B. Maintain a height above 15,000 ft. to the target.

C. Bombing not below 14,000 ft.

D. After crossing the Alps a/c are to lose height and fly low over France. After crossing the enemy coast a/c are to fly as low as possible. As soon as it is light enough a/c are to endeavour to collect together in twos for mutual support.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

No. 1 Group Summary of Operations, Night 12/13 July, 1943

Target - Turin

(Note - there is some details missing from the above table due to bottom of page missing)

Primary - T.O.T. 0151 - 0225 hrs.

92 a/c claim to have attacked, dropping 91 x 4,000 H.C. 3648 x 30 lb. incends., 35,280 x 4 lb. Incends., plus 2,760 'X' Type incendiaries.

Difficult weather conditions with much static in electrical storms and icing were found both in the outward and homeward journey. Over the target, however, conditions were excellent with no cloud and very good visibility. So much so that one crew commented on the novel experience of being able to clearly identify features of the town lay-out. The crews were unanimous in praising the P.F.F. technique, the only criticism being that it was slightly late in starting. Visual identification of the two rivers and the town confirmed the accuracy of the attack which seems to have gone very well right from the commencement when marking and bombing was particularly described as both accurate and concentrated. As the attack developed numerous fires were observed and although in the later stages some scatter had developed, large areas in the North of the town and in the triangle formed by the Rivers Po and Dora are reported as being a mass of fire with much black smoke up to very great heights. Large explosions were reported and the two biggest of these accompanied by bursts of flame were at 0157 and 0200 hrs.

Defences in the target area were not very troublesome, and one crew described them as puerile. The heavy flak is stated to have ceased about half-way through the attack. There was a moderate amount of light flak and also some 50 searchlights whose operation seems to have been particularly haphazard. Reports are not yet complete but the enemy fighters appear to have given little trouble.

MISSING. 4 Aircraft have not returned - nothing being heard after take-off. Three of these each carried 1 x 4000 H.C. 40 x 30 lb. incends,. 420 x 4 lb. incends., plus 30 x 4 lb. 'X' type Incends., the remaining aircraft carried 1 x 4000 lb HC 40 x 30lb. Incends, 240 x 4 lb. incend plus 30 x 4 lb 'X' type Incends.

ABORTIVE.

OUTSTANDING. The results of the following are not yet known:-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Frederic Henoff for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

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