Operation Margin. The Road To Augsburg

Description

Plaine de Saint Andre Normandy. 17th April 1942.

The Augsburg Raid was one of the most dangerous and daring raids ever mounted by Bomber Command.

12 brand new Avro Lancaster B1s; six from 44 Squadron RAF Waddington and six from 97 Squadron RAF Woodhall Spa were detailed to raid the MAN Diesel factory at Augsburg, deep in southern Baveria. There they were building marine Diesel engines for Hitler’sU-Boats.

The painting depicts 44 Squadron Lancaster B1 KB-B for Baker flown by South African Squadron Leader John Nettleton leads the first section of six Lancasters from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, as they overfly the medieval Normandy landscape between Evreau and Beaumont le Roger – where they ran a gauntlet of Luftwaffe BF 109 fighters of JG2, the formidable ‘Richtofen’ fighter wing.  Behind Nettleton flies the burning Lancaster H-Howe of Warrant Officer GT Rhodes’ crew.  Thew were engaged by JG2’s GeschwaderKommodore Major Walter Oesau and one of Germany’s greatest Aces just as the guns on H-Howe jammed! Oesau closed to within 22 yards and systematically shot all four Merlins setting them ablaze. At such low level there was no hope of escape. He is shown escaping low while Nettleton’s gunners concentrate on defending Garwell’s Lancaster to port. Nettleton himself, with 2nd pilot Flying Officer Pat Dorehill is visable in the cockpit.

At this phase of the raid 17:15hrs, four of 44 Squadron’s Lancasters had already been shot down. Twenty one aircrew dead. Four more were down and on the run somewhere on the Plaine de Saint Andre Normandy.

© Copyright image and text Simon W Atack 2022