Need help: Bomber Attack on 1945, April 18 at Heligoland

[niemandsland]

Hello everyone,

At the moment I am trying to do more research about the attack on April 18, 1945 aimed at the high seas island of Heligoland.

I know that a total of 979 bombers were involved in the daytime attack on Helgoland.

So far I have been able to determine the participation of 14 squadrons, namely from 12, 100, 101, 103, 150, 153, 166, 170, 300, 460, 550, 576, 625 and 626. A total of 321 Lancaster 306 bombers bombed Heligoland. (Source: ORB: RAF Group 1)

I did not find any further information on the air raid on Heligoland in my files. So far I have not been able to prove the remaining bombers that participated in this attack.

My question: which bomber squadrons made up the remaining 673 bombers?

Can someone provide the appropriate ORBs pages to me? I only have "Form 540" of the No. 1 group.

I am happy about any help. Gladly also by private message or email.

Greetings from Hanover / Germany,
Guido Janthor

[danebrog]

Add
RCAF 420 "Snowy Owl" & RCAF 425 "Alouettes" Squadrons from Tholthorpe
420 Sqn lost 1 Halifax

[EwenS]

3 aircraft were lost, one each from 408,420 and 640 squadrons. So 4 & 6 Groups were also involved that day. Details of some of the squadrons in these Groups here
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._4_Group_RAF
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._6_Group_RCAF

9 & 617 squadrons from 5 Group visited the next day. So maybe some involvement from other squadrons. So if that is the case then it looks like most of Bomber Command was involved particularly given nearly 1000 aircraft were involved. There would certainly have been some Pathfinders from 8 Group squadrons.

At the moment the squadron ORBs can be downloaded free of charge from the National Archives for most RAF operational squadrons usually month by month.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/abo ... downloads/

There was also an edition of After the Battle magazine devoted to the history of Heligoland that you may find of interest. No more than passing mention of the raid of 18 April 1945.
https://www.afterthebattle.com/store/ma ... -154_ID159

[niemandsland]

@ danebrog & EwenS

Thanks for the answers. I also suspect that the squadrons from group number 4 were involved in the attack on Heligoland. As far as group 6 is concerned, I have to see what I think about it.

Also thanks for the tip that the ORBs are currently available free of charge. Even if I already had this knowledge.

I just downloaded the ORBs for the 12th and 100th Squadron. It's a shame that not all of them are available in such a compact way, such as those from the 12th Squadron. 5 or 6 files across from 55 from Squadron No. 100. But who's going to be upset about it at the price?

I will definitely get the data for April 18, 1945 from as many squadrons as possible. I already have the data for April 19, 1945. Was that another targeted attack on the "von Schroeder" battery on April 19, or what was the goal? I don't have the targetmap for both days.

So far...

Greetings,
Guido Janthor