.....Operation "Freshman was launched from Skitten airfield in Scotland.
Two Halifax bombers towing 2 Horsa`s were to attack and destroy the German "heavy water" production facillities at Rjukan in Norway.
The Horsa`s carried 34 soldiers from Royal engineers.
Due to bad weather the target was not found, and as the planes headed back home, disaster struck........
The Horsa toved by Halifax "A" Apple was accidentaly released from it`s wire. The plane crashed down in rough mountain terrain, causing several deads and many wounded.
Only minutes later, Halifax B" Baker" also lost her Horsa. Also this glider got a very rough landing, but both pilotes died in the crash.
The Halifax B "Baker" turned back to see if the glider was ok, but they flew directly into a mountain peak, killing all the 7 crewmembers.
(It is believed that the Horsas were pulled loose due to iceing)
The German forces in the surrounding area were soon warned of these 3 plane crashes, and several patrols were sent in to check it.
That night, some 25 survivors were rescued from the glider wreck`s.
Their fate was to become the worst single-act warcrime ever committed in Norway......
Due to a "Führerbefehl" issued earlier in -42, all these soldiers were executed in various POW camps on different locations in Norway.
Their bodies were dumped into the sea or burried in the woods...............
EE
19 November 1942........
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