My Dad's penultimate operational sortie was to be part of the attack on Wesel to smash any German resistance so the 21st Army Group under General Montgomery could cross the River Rhine. Montgomery was quoted after saying: ' the bombing of Wesel was a masterpiece, and was a decisive factor in making possible our entry into the town before midnight.'
Lancaster PA567 code U-Uncle took off at 19.30hrs loaded with 14x 1000lb bombs one of 14 aircraft from 106 Squadron joining the bomber stream of 181 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group Bomber Command. Pilots ( Flt/Lieut Mawer) notes state they bombed at 9900ft at 22.39 hrs on the southern edge of the red target indicators as instructed by the Controller. I well remember my Dad telling me he could hear the controller over the intercom telling everyone to be more careful as some aircraft were dropping their bombs short, possibly on their own men! 'You're going home tonight,' he said 'there're not!' 97% of Wesel was destroyed.
They landed back at Metheringham at 01.05 hrs after a 5.30 hr trip no doubt exhausted, they'd have been debriefed by Intelligence Officers & then no doubt off to the NAFFI for bacon and egg.
The war was nearly over though not for Flt/ Lieut Mawer's crew.
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