Ruhr losses

摘要

Upon reading the 'More than One Enemy' article that was included with the excellent series concerning The Battle of the Ruhr in the March 2013 edition you might be interested to know that I witnessed the loss of one of the aircraft mentioned. I accompanied the crew of Halifax HR786 in the transport taking them to their aircraft on the night of their last operation [May 13,1944 - ed]. I also witnessed its demise, with the loss all the crew. Whilst over Holland in the Amsterdam area en route to Duisburg, the darkness of the night was shattered by the illumination of a radar-controlled 'blueish' searchlight which locked on to a Halifax aircraft about 800 yards ahead and to starboard of our aircraft.