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Operation Oyster was a bombing raid made by the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) a ...
(RAF) on 6 December 1942 upon the Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
works at Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,vacuum tube
A vacuum tube, electron tube, valve (British usage), or tube (North America), is a device that controls electric current flow in a high vacuum between electrodes to which an electric potential difference has been applied.
The type known as a ...
s for radio communication. Prior to the Battle of the Netherlands
The German invasion of the Netherlands ( nl, Duitse aanval op Nederland), otherwise known as the Battle of the Netherlands ( nl, Slag om Nederland), was a military campaign part of Case Yellow (german: Fall Gelb), the Nazi German invasion of ...
in 1940, Philips was known to be a leading research firm in infrared
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
and radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weat ...
technology. To ensure accuracy and minimise casualties among the Dutch citizens, the raid had to be undertaken during the day.
Eindhoven was beyond the range of the fighter escort and the four-engined night bombers that made up the bulk of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...
were considered to be too vulnerable for the attack. No. 2 Group RAF
No. 2 Group is a group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Comm ...
which contained the medium day bombers of the RAF were selected for the raid. To improve their chance of survival, diversionary raids were organised to mislead the German defenders. Almost all of 2 Group was committed to the raid and it was the largest and most successful operation by the group of the war.
Background
Philips, Eindhoven
In April 1942 the Air Ministry, in consultation with theMinistry of Economic Warfare
The Minister of Economic Warfare was a British government position which existed during the Second World War. The minister was in charge of the Special Operations Executive and the Ministry of Economic Warfare.
See also
* Blockade of Germany (193 ...
, produced a list of the highest value targets in the occupied countries. Eight targets within range of the RAF were identified. The Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
radio and vacuum tube factory in Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,Strijp works, and the smaller Emmasingel works, half a mile away to the south-east. Prior to the war Philips made major advances in the design and production of vacuum tubes and had some of the best research scientists in the world. An appraisal by the Air Ministry estimated that the plants in Eindhoven produced a third of the radio tubes used in German military equipment. It was feared that the firm was being used to perform research into electronic counter-measures and radar technology.
The location of the Philips works in the middle of a Dutch city precluded
The first full scale practice was held on 17 November. The Ventura crews soon learned that the backwash off the paddled blades of the other Venturas made their planes liable to skid and difficult to control; flying so low left no time for recovery. Any mistake they made could quickly lead to them flying into the North Sea or the ground. Pilots had to be very attentive to stay on station, focused on the wing or tail of the aircraft before him. The lead pilot had to be cognizant of the trailing aircraft, accounting for their position with each manoeuvre he made. While flying low over Holland the pilots and navigators would have to keep a sharp eye out for obstructions. An additional risk of low-level flying was 
The order of the attacking aircraft was changed, the Bostons to attack first, followed by the Mitchells and Mosquitos, with the Venturas arriving last. Take-off times were also pushed forward to allow the aircraft more time to orbit and form up. A second trial run by the Venturas the next day was much better. Between exercises crews practised bombing at low level, and 1,500 feet in all manner of formations in pairs and combinations of three pairs. A third trial run with all forces on 20 November was much better but the Mitchell squadrons, 98 and
The order for the attack and initial plan were issued 17 November 1942. Training for the raid began immediately. Wing Commander James Pelly-Fry of 88 Squadron was chosen to lead the attack. He was an experienced pilot who had flown in Africa and been in command of 88 Squadron since the start of the year. Pelly was to fly one of the two low level lead Bostons against the Emmasingel factory, and would be the first man to the target. Circus raids by 2 Group involved from six to 30 bombers, flying at medium altitudes and rendezvousing with their fighter escorts on the way. To strike with the element of surprise, the Eindhoven raid was to be flown at low level from start to finish. Low level flight would avoid radar detection, limit the exposure to anti-aircraft fire and make it more difficult for German fighters to attack.
None of the crews had experience flying a mission in such a large formation, nor so low to the ground. The four types of bombers being used had different ranges and different top speeds. To overwhelm the defences at the target and limit losses it was planned that all aircraft would be over the target, deliver their bombs and be gone in ten minutes. This would require careful planning; the Venturas were the slowest, the Bostons and Mitchells intermediate and the Mosquitos the fastest. The plan was based on the constraints of the performance of the Venturas, which would be operating close to their maximum range at Eindhoven. The aircraft were to fly in pairs, in 
Though different speed ranges were assigned to the aircraft based on type, all aircraft were to approach, attack and leave the target at their maximum speed. Twelve Bostons, ten Mosquitos and thirty-one Venturas were to strike the main target at the Strijp Group works as twenty-four Bostons and seventeen Venturas were to attack the Emmasingel radio tube factory half a mile to the south-east of the main complex. The Boston and Mosquito bombers would carry four high explosive bombs, fused for 0.025 seconds delay to minimise the tendency for the bombs to slide away from the target before exploding. Once the aircraft had released their bombs they were to hedge-hop home at full speed. It was decided after the third trial that a Boston from each squadron would fly at low level all the way to the target to draw the attention of German ''Flak'' gunners down and away from the larger force that was climbing up to 1,500 feet behind them. The low flyers' four bombs were to be fused for eleven seconds delay to prevent the aircraft from being caught in the explosions. The Venturas following them would each carry forty incendiary bombs and two high explosive bombs. The incendiaries were phosphorus, which would stick to whatever they struck and burn. The two high explosive bombs on the Venturas were to be fused for 30 or 60 minutes' delay, to hamper or injure the firefighters and rescue workers.
The Mosquitos would follow the Bostons on the same route, while the Venturas were to fly slightly to the south before turning towards Eindhoven. The three groups were to arrive over the target in close succession. The attack was to be concluded within the span of 10 minutes. The Bostons were to release bombs at zero hour, which was set for They were to be followed by the Mosquitos at zero plus 2 minutes and the Venturas would drop their bombs and incendiaries at zero plus 6 minutes. The Venturas were to turn west after they had bombed; the Bostons were to fly north for and then turn west, so that both groups would arrive over the coast simultaneously. The Mosquitos were generally to fly north initially but were not bound to the other aircraft for the return trip.
Spitfires from
The day started with the
From the eight squadrons of 2 Group took off and kept below 100 feet in radio silence, formed up by type and headed for the coast. The Southwold Lighthouse served as a guide for the Bostons and Mosquitos, while the Venturas were plotted slightly to the south, passing over 
Following three minutes behind were the Venturas. Alerted by the passage of the Bostons, the German gunners were ready when the Venturas arrived. Worse, the Venturas had missed their landfall and arrived a mile to the south over the island of Walcheren. German flak defences were concentrated along the coast and had been placed in considerably greater depth on Walcheren. Tracer fire laced out and the sea seemed to churn white below them. A tremendous splash threw water up into the air as a Ventura was struck and crashed into the sea. A few moments later a second was hit on the starboard side of the cockpit. The pilot was injured but was able to put the aircraft down in a ploughed field. A few of the fighters from II Gruppe/ JG-1 were returning from the air battle over Lille when they came across the low flying bombers. Rudolph Rauhaus brought his 
Following the Bostons, the pilots in the Mosquitos observed enemy aircraft approaching from the airfield. Squadron Leader D. Parry and Flight Lieutenant W. Blessing turned toward them. They closed in a moment and soon were being fired upon. Banking and pushing throttles full on, they accelerated. The Focke-Wulf 190 had a similar speed to the Mosquito. Parry went flat out, keeping an eye on his pursuers. Eluding his attackers, he was able to rejoin the attack. Blessing, on the other hand, was chased for ten minutes. He was able to get away but was too late to resume the mission and returned to base with his bombs.
Pelly led the Bostons and trailing Mosquitos toward
Behind them was the Mosquito group, due to arrive on target at Zero plus 2. They had to be careful to check their speed to avoid overtaking the Bostons. Behind these came the Venturas, who had taken a slightly longer route to 
It had been a quiet Sunday afternoon in Eindhoven; no air raid sirens had been sounded. The day before had been St. Nicolas Day and families were sitting down to lunch. The first sign that something was amiss was the steady humming sound of synchronised engines growing steadily louder, a telltale sign of approaching British aircraft. People began to come out to see what was happening. In a moment the loud firing of German anti-aircraft guns shattered the peace, soon answered by the machine guns of the approaching British bombers. Those near the factory were soon scrambling back inside their homes, as bombs began exploding behind them. The Bostons of 88 and 226 Squadrons had climbed to 1,500 feet. Pilot Jack Peppiatt of 88 Squadron confessed he felt extremely vulnerable up there. Levelling off, they dropped into a shallow dive and released their bombs, each aircraft delivering their four 500 pound bombs between 12:30 and 12:33. The attack was concentrated into a very short window of time. The factory shook and smoke began to fill the air.
A similar attack was carried out by the Bostons of 107 Squadron against the works. Jarred by the explosions, the 
Pelly-Fry's aircraft, hit during the bomb run, had its starboard
Much faster and with no defensive armament, it made no sense to tie the Mosquitos to the Bostons and Venturas. After initially flying north some turned to the west. Coming up behind the Bostons the Mosquitos could see them weaving and sliding. The Bostons were flying low and as fast as possible, with the hazards now increased by the addition of German fighters. They were lucky not to have any collisions. Said Boston pilot Jack Peppiatt "After a few minutes settling down it all went up with a bang as Fw 190s appeared. Without doubt the next 20 minutes or so were full of action and not a little confusion. Some 10 or 20 aircraft were screaming along, full throttle in a loose mass. No one wanted to be at the back where the Focke-Wulfs were coming in to attack and wheeling away for another go." The Bostons were soon joined by a number of Mosquitos, who looked to gain protection from their defensive firepower, but soon thought the better of it and sped past them. Thankfully the attacks in back were crimped for lack of altitude. Coming in from above they had to turn away early to the side, as there was no room below to dive through the group.
Except for the bomb run, a pilot never flew straight and level over enemy territory. The rear gunner served as the pilot's eyes in back. For a crew to make it home, the rear gunner had to see the enemy fighter, and as he closed in the gunner would wait, calling out to the pilot just as the fighter was preparing to fire. The gunner would fire his .303 machine guns, but accuracy was difficult with the aeroplane jerking about, and of a markedly secondary importance for the survival of the crew. In the running fight to the coast, pilots slid and weaved, keeping an ear out for the cry of "Jink!" Flak picked up again as they reached the coast and followed them out over the sea. One Boston was hit and crashed; as they pulled away larger calibre guns joined in, creating huge splashes with their shells in hopes of knocking an aeroplane down with the spray. This was frightening to the crews, many of whom thought the splashes were the result of their fellow aircraft falling, but they managed to all get clear.
The Mosquitos scattered along different return routes. Patterson decided it might be safer to avoid the planned route the Bostons were taking, as enemy fighters might have gathered over the west coast to intercept them. He headed north for the
The Eindhoven raid was a success which took the German defenders by surprise. Low level navigation was excellent and around 83 per cent of the aircraft involved delivered bombs with a high degree of accuracy and concentration. Reconnaissance photographs obtained later showed severe damage to the factory. The losses suffered by 2 Group meant that the operation would be unique. Operation Oyster is remembered as 2 Group's most famous and successful operation of the war. Both factory complexes suffered significant damage and production was stopped.
For
Aircrew losses were 62 men; nine Venturas, four Bostons and a Mosquito were lost, including one in the sea and another crashed in England, a loss rate of 16 per cent. Thirty-seven Venturas, thirteen Bostons and three Mosquitoes were damaged, seven seriously, 57 per cent of the force. The Venturas had a 20 per cent loss rate and three crash-landings in England, a loss rate that could not be sustained. Few losses and little damage were caused by German fighters, the bombers proving difficult targets at low level; one Mosquito was intercepted by a Fw 190 as it approached Eindhoven and abandoned its bombing run after evading the Fw 190 until the pilot gave up the chase near Flushing. At least 31 aircraft had bird strikes, some hit trees and several Venturas probably hit houses when bombing through smoke; light flak damaged some aircraft and possibly shot down others. The group had to stand down for ten days while aircraft were repaired and losses replaced. A B-17 and a B-24 were lost in the two diversionary raids, along with one of the escorting Spitfires; a Fw 190 was shot down.
Civilian casualties were 150 and 7 German soldiers.
Charles Patterson film clips from Eindhoven raid, 1942
Gaumont-British News: Bomber Command Wreck the famous Philips Radio Works at Eindhoven, 1942
Pathe: RAF Raid Holland In Daylight, 1942
Movietone News: Nazi war factory wrecked by RAF, 1942
The location of the Philips works in the middle of a Dutch city precluded Bomber Command
Bomber Command is an organisational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. The best known were in Britain and the United States. A Bomber Command is generally used for strategic bombing (although at times, e.g. during t ...
from putting on a large scale raid at night, as this would result in a great many civilian casualties. For accurate bombing the target would have to be attacked during the day. The raid resulted in about 150 civilian casualties. Being inland from the coast, Eindhoven was beyond the range of fighter escort. Using Lancaster bombers for the raid was considered and rejected, as they were too vulnerable to fly through the middle of the German fighter belt in daylight. The use of de Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or " ...
s was also considered, but the Philips works was too large a target for the payload the Mosquitos available could carry.
2 Group
No. 2 Group RAF
No. 2 Group is a group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Comm ...
was the sole day bomber group of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...
and consisted of ten medium bomber squadrons stationed on airfields in Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North ...
. The group flew with Fighter Command in operations against the . Daylight raids with small formations attacked shipping, targets on the coast and in northern France. The raids were flown at medium altitudes through the German fighter defences but the two large Philips plants in Eindhoven could not be destroyed by the typical twelve-aircraft formations used in Circus raids. Bomber Command elected to commit all ten squadrons of 2 Group to the raid but this meant using four types of medium bomber
A medium bomber is a military bomber aircraft designed to operate with medium-sized bombloads over medium range distances; the name serves to distinguish this type from larger heavy bombers and smaller light bombers. Mediums generally carrie ...
; the Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in ...
, Douglas Boston
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
, North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
and de Havilland Mosquito, with inconsistent performances. It was the most ambitious raid ever put on by 2 Group and approval for the raid was given on 9 November 1942 as Operation Oyster.
Prelude
Training
The first full scale practice was held on 17 November. The Ventura crews soon learned that the backwash off the paddled blades of the other Venturas made their planes liable to skid and difficult to control; flying so low left no time for recovery. Any mistake they made could quickly lead to them flying into the North Sea or the ground. Pilots had to be very attentive to stay on station, focused on the wing or tail of the aircraft before him. The lead pilot had to be cognizant of the trailing aircraft, accounting for their position with each manoeuvre he made. While flying low over Holland the pilots and navigators would have to keep a sharp eye out for obstructions. An additional risk of low-level flying was birdstrike
A bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, bird ingestion (for an engine), bird hit, or bird aircraft strike hazard (BASH)—is a collision between an airborne animal (usually a bird or bat) and a moving vehicle, usually an aircraft. The term ...
s. Birds on the coast tended to be larger, and when startled by the noise of an aircraft engine they would take off into the air. The risk of bird strikes was one of 2 Group's greatest dangers.
The initial plan was for the Venturas to attack first, followed by Bostons at one target and Mitchells and Mosquitos at the other. All aircraft would fly at low level until right before the target, when they would climb to to attack in a shallow dive. The first trial was disappointing, aircraft arrived over the target from different directions and at different times. The Venturas arrived over the target in a ragged fashion. It was apparent that time was needed for the aircraft to form up into groups by type. It was also apparent the Mitchell crews were simply not ready to fly a raid this demanding in air discipline. It was realised that if the Venturas attacked first with incendiaries, smoke from the fires they started would obscure the target for the following aircraft.
The order of the attacking aircraft was changed, the Bostons to attack first, followed by the Mitchells and Mosquitos, with the Venturas arriving last. Take-off times were also pushed forward to allow the aircraft more time to orbit and form up. A second trial run by the Venturas the next day was much better. Between exercises crews practised bombing at low level, and 1,500 feet in all manner of formations in pairs and combinations of three pairs. A third trial run with all forces on 20 November was much better but the Mitchell squadrons, 98 and 180
__NOTOC__
Year 180 ( CLXXX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rusticus and Condianus (or, less frequently, year 933 ''Ab ...
, were removed from the raid as their crews were still too inexperienced. This brought the force down to 8 squadrons.
Plan
The order for the attack and initial plan were issued 17 November 1942. Training for the raid began immediately. Wing Commander James Pelly-Fry of 88 Squadron was chosen to lead the attack. He was an experienced pilot who had flown in Africa and been in command of 88 Squadron since the start of the year. Pelly was to fly one of the two low level lead Bostons against the Emmasingel factory, and would be the first man to the target. Circus raids by 2 Group involved from six to 30 bombers, flying at medium altitudes and rendezvousing with their fighter escorts on the way. To strike with the element of surprise, the Eindhoven raid was to be flown at low level from start to finish. Low level flight would avoid radar detection, limit the exposure to anti-aircraft fire and make it more difficult for German fighters to attack.
None of the crews had experience flying a mission in such a large formation, nor so low to the ground. The four types of bombers being used had different ranges and different top speeds. To overwhelm the defences at the target and limit losses it was planned that all aircraft would be over the target, deliver their bombs and be gone in ten minutes. This would require careful planning; the Venturas were the slowest, the Bostons and Mitchells intermediate and the Mosquitos the fastest. The plan was based on the constraints of the performance of the Venturas, which would be operating close to their maximum range at Eindhoven. The aircraft were to fly in pairs, in echelon formation
An echelon formation () is a (usually military) formation in which its units are arranged diagonally. Each unit is stationed behind and to the right (a "right echelon"), or behind and to the left ("left echelon"), of the unit ahead. The name of ...
to starboard. As many as six aircraft could be grouped but no more as formation flying was awkward and made it difficult for any kind of manoeuvre. The big problem was getting a large group of aircraft to arrive at precise times. Formation flying was not new to the group but large formation flying at tree top level was. The attacking force was made up of 48 Venturas from 21 Squadron, 464 (Australian) Squadron and 487 (New Zealand) Squadron, 36 Bostons from 88 Squadron, 107 Squadron and 226 Squadron and ten Mosquitos from 105 and 139 Squadrons.
Though different speed ranges were assigned to the aircraft based on type, all aircraft were to approach, attack and leave the target at their maximum speed. Twelve Bostons, ten Mosquitos and thirty-one Venturas were to strike the main target at the Strijp Group works as twenty-four Bostons and seventeen Venturas were to attack the Emmasingel radio tube factory half a mile to the south-east of the main complex. The Boston and Mosquito bombers would carry four high explosive bombs, fused for 0.025 seconds delay to minimise the tendency for the bombs to slide away from the target before exploding. Once the aircraft had released their bombs they were to hedge-hop home at full speed. It was decided after the third trial that a Boston from each squadron would fly at low level all the way to the target to draw the attention of German ''Flak'' gunners down and away from the larger force that was climbing up to 1,500 feet behind them. The low flyers' four bombs were to be fused for eleven seconds delay to prevent the aircraft from being caught in the explosions. The Venturas following them would each carry forty incendiary bombs and two high explosive bombs. The incendiaries were phosphorus, which would stick to whatever they struck and burn. The two high explosive bombs on the Venturas were to be fused for 30 or 60 minutes' delay, to hamper or injure the firefighters and rescue workers.
The Mosquitos would follow the Bostons on the same route, while the Venturas were to fly slightly to the south before turning towards Eindhoven. The three groups were to arrive over the target in close succession. The attack was to be concluded within the span of 10 minutes. The Bostons were to release bombs at zero hour, which was set for They were to be followed by the Mosquitos at zero plus 2 minutes and the Venturas would drop their bombs and incendiaries at zero plus 6 minutes. The Venturas were to turn west after they had bombed; the Bostons were to fly north for and then turn west, so that both groups would arrive over the coast simultaneously. The Mosquitos were generally to fly north initially but were not bound to the other aircraft for the return trip.
Spitfires from No. 12 Group RAF
No. 12 Group of the Royal Air Force was a group, a military formation, that existed over two separate periods, namely the end of the First World War when it had a training function and from just prior to the Second World War until the early 1960s ...
were to escort the bombers home from the coast and as far as inland. Further efforts to protect the bombers involved diversionary raids by the United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF), with a formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers sent to the German airbase at Abbeville, and a larger formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
es sent to Lille
Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the No ...
, with Spitfire escorts. Eight North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
fighters were to undertake a "Rhubarb" (ground strafing attack). On the evening of Wednesday, 2 December, the crews were briefed on the raid; no-one was allowed to enter or leave the air bases, no mail was allowed out and the telephones were guarded. The next morning, Thursday 3 December, the RAF Meteorological office declared weather conditions were unsuitable. The stations remained closed as the crews waited for the weather to improve. Finally on Sunday 6 December the weather over Eindhoven was declared favourable.
Raid
Diversionary raids
The day started with the Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces ...
launching its diversionary raids; nineteen B-24s from the 44th Bomb Group were sent out at to attack the German airfield at Abbeville. An hour later the primary effort of 66 B-17s from the 91st, 303rd and 305th Bomb Groups were aloft to bomb the rail yard at Lille. During these operations the Eighth Air Force used replacement crews to fly two mock runs over the channel to divert attention from the main effort, the diversions were made to look like routine operations.
The US bomber groups were detected and followed by German air controllers. fighter aircraft from JG 1, JG 26
''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 (JG 26) ''Schlageter'' was a German fighter-wing of World War II. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran, Freikorps member, and posthumous Nazi martyr, arrested and executed by the French for ...
and JG 2
Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) "Richthofen" was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 2 operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 single-seat, single-engine interceptor aircraft.
Named after the famed World War I flying ...
were sent up to intercept them. En route to Abbeville the B-24s of the 44th were recalled but one flight of six aircraft did not receive the message and continued. This flight was intercepted over the target and lost one of their B-24s but they reached the airfield, dropping their bombs at Thirty-five minutes later the main force of B-17s rendezvoused with their Spitfire escorts, arrived over Lille and bombed the rail works at Thirty-seven of the US bombers were considered effective on target. As they were exiting the target area they were attacked by some 20 to 30 enemy aircraft, losing one of their number.
Approach
From the eight squadrons of 2 Group took off and kept below 100 feet in radio silence, formed up by type and headed for the coast. The Southwold Lighthouse served as a guide for the Bostons and Mosquitos, while the Venturas were plotted slightly to the south, passing over Orfordness Lighthouse
Orfordness Lighthouse was a lighthouse on Orford Ness, in Suffolk, England. The tower was completed in 1792. Work began on demolition in July 2020, and was completed in August. The light had a range of . It was equipped with an AIS transmitte ...
, undetected by German radar operators. The raiders flew so low over the North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegia ...
that they made a propeller wash. In 45 minutes the Dutch coast arose, appearing as a thin smudge upon the horizon. There were no large features to guide their approach. Landfall was intended to be at a small town called Colijnsplaat
Colijnsplaat is a village in the Province of Zeeland, the Netherlands It is a part of the Municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about northeast of Middelburg.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1489 as "het gors Colinsplate", and m ...
, at the mouth of the Oosterschelde estuary. The town sits on the north coast of the island Beveland. The leading Bostons arrived over the inlet, German flak batteries positioned along the coastline were taken by surprise and were only able to put up a thin fire as the Bostons passed by.
The Bostons followed their track up the Oosterschelde estuary, hugging the north coast for 30 miles to reach their main landfall at Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom (; called ''Berrege'' in the local dialect) is a municipality and a city located in the south of the Netherlands.
Etymology
The city was built on a place where two types of soil meet: sandy soil and marine clay. The sandy soil ...
. In the estuary, the first major hazard arose in the form of sea birds, which were startled by the sound of the aircraft approaching and rose into the air. The risk was known but the number and size of the birds was greater than anticipated. As the aircraft flew through them, some birds shattered wind screens, some penetrated cockpits and injured aircrew, others bent fuel pipes and caused wing damage. In one aircraft two gulls smashed through the nose Perspex
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...
, striking the navigator in the legs. The wind caught his maps and sucked them out the broken windscreen. The rest of the trip he was forced to navigate from memory.
Following three minutes behind were the Venturas. Alerted by the passage of the Bostons, the German gunners were ready when the Venturas arrived. Worse, the Venturas had missed their landfall and arrived a mile to the south over the island of Walcheren. German flak defences were concentrated along the coast and had been placed in considerably greater depth on Walcheren. Tracer fire laced out and the sea seemed to churn white below them. A tremendous splash threw water up into the air as a Ventura was struck and crashed into the sea. A few moments later a second was hit on the starboard side of the cockpit. The pilot was injured but was able to put the aircraft down in a ploughed field. A few of the fighters from II Gruppe/ JG-1 were returning from the air battle over Lille when they came across the low flying bombers. Rudolph Rauhaus brought his Focke-Wulf 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' ("Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, th ...
in behind a Ventura as it cleared Walcheren and damaged the aircraft, which crash landed on the Zealand peninsula Reimerswaal The name Reimerswaal () can mean:
*Reimerswaal (city)
Reimerswaal () is a lost city in the Netherlands. The present-day municipality of Reimerswaal is named after this city, which was granted city rights in 1374. The city was destroyed by repea ...
; three of the six crew survived and were taken prisoner.
As the aircraft approached the top of the estuary they came within sight of the Woensdrecht
Woensdrecht () is a municipality (named after the village) in the southern Netherlands.
Woensdrecht is the home of the Woensdrecht Air Base, which is located to the north-east of the village of Woensdrecht and to the north-west of Huijbergen.
...
airfield, the home of II Gruppe, just to the south of Bergen op Zoom. As they flew past it German Focke-Wulfs could be seen taking off from the airfield, banking and turning towards them. Mosquito pilot Charles Patterson commented,
Hugging the ground, the aircraft continued south–east into Belgium, sideslipping and weaving as they went. They kept low, rising up slightly to help clear hedges and houses. Pilots worked with their navigators, each pointing out trees, chimneys, high-tension cables and other obstructions to avoid.
Following the Bostons, the pilots in the Mosquitos observed enemy aircraft approaching from the airfield. Squadron Leader D. Parry and Flight Lieutenant W. Blessing turned toward them. They closed in a moment and soon were being fired upon. Banking and pushing throttles full on, they accelerated. The Focke-Wulf 190 had a similar speed to the Mosquito. Parry went flat out, keeping an eye on his pursuers. Eluding his attackers, he was able to rejoin the attack. Blessing, on the other hand, was chased for ten minutes. He was able to get away but was too late to resume the mission and returned to base with his bombs.
Pelly led the Bostons and trailing Mosquitos toward Turnhout
Turnhout () is a Belgian municipality and city located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. In 2021, Turnhout had a total population of 45,874. The total area is . The agglomeration, ho ...
. Flying at high speed and very low altitude was a navigational nightmare. If his line was wrong and he failed to lead them in to the target, coming around again would be a disaster. Reaching Turnhout he turned north-east to fly the 24 miles that would bring his squadron to Eindhoven. On the mission maps Pelly had noticed a rail line running in to Eindhoven from the south. He was desperate to find it. To his great relief, arising in the distance in front of him he saw a puff of white smoke, the telltale sign of a railway engine. Coming up he stayed to the left of the raised embankment of the rail line. As they reached Eindhoven two sets of very large factory buildings loomed up before them. The 24 Bostons from 88 and 226 Squadrons headed for Emmasingel. Splitting off to the left, the 12 Bostons from 107 Squadron followed Squadron Leader R.J. McLachlan for the big buildings at Strijp.
Attack
Behind them was the Mosquito group, due to arrive on target at Zero plus 2. They had to be careful to check their speed to avoid overtaking the Bostons. Behind these came the Venturas, who had taken a slightly longer route to Oostmalle
Oostmalle is a village which is located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The village itself is part of the municipality of Malle.
Oostmalle was an independent municipality until 1976. It has a surface area of 28.27 km² and in 2004 had 6, ...
to stretch the time before turning toward Eindhoven. They would stay on the deck and deliver their incendiaries upon the factory rooftops. Pelly-Fry and his wingman led 88 and 226 Squadrons in to the Emmasingel works. Their aircraft came under fire from German anti-aircraft and machine-guns mounted on the roofs of the buildings. They returned fire with their own machine-guns. Behind them, their squadron mates climbed to 1,500 feet to get ready for their shallow dive attack. Pelly came up on the factory and delivered his bomb load, but as he cleared overhead his aircraft was hit hard in the starboard engine and wing. The wing dropped and he found he was flying the aircraft at a 90 degree vertical from the ground. Struggling to regain control, he was slowly able to get his wings level. Pelly stated the aircraft felt very sluggish, and he had a hard time bringing it to port. While the time delay fuses ran down, he left the area with full power on, heading north.
It had been a quiet Sunday afternoon in Eindhoven; no air raid sirens had been sounded. The day before had been St. Nicolas Day and families were sitting down to lunch. The first sign that something was amiss was the steady humming sound of synchronised engines growing steadily louder, a telltale sign of approaching British aircraft. People began to come out to see what was happening. In a moment the loud firing of German anti-aircraft guns shattered the peace, soon answered by the machine guns of the approaching British bombers. Those near the factory were soon scrambling back inside their homes, as bombs began exploding behind them. The Bostons of 88 and 226 Squadrons had climbed to 1,500 feet. Pilot Jack Peppiatt of 88 Squadron confessed he felt extremely vulnerable up there. Levelling off, they dropped into a shallow dive and released their bombs, each aircraft delivering their four 500 pound bombs between 12:30 and 12:33. The attack was concentrated into a very short window of time. The factory shook and smoke began to fill the air.
A similar attack was carried out by the Bostons of 107 Squadron against the works. Jarred by the explosions, the Strijp
Strijp is a former town in the Dutch province of North Brabant, now a borough of Eindhoven.
Strijp was a separate municipality until 1920, when it became part of Eindhoven. The Philips Stadion, home of football team PSV Eindhoven is based in Str ...
tower clock stopped at 12:32. It remained stuck there, at 12:32, for the rest of the war. With bombs gone, the Bostons dropped to the deck and followed Pelly-Fry, who was heading north. This had been the plan, but only for a couple of miles. Then they were to turn west for the coast. Strangely, Pelly-Fry continued heading north. The Bostons followed him. Behind the Bostons came the Mosquitos, who were working to avoid overtaking them. Due to arrive on target just after the Bostons, they also climbed to 1,500 feet. As they were climbing to bombing height they were attacked by a group of three Focke-Wulfs. The Mosquito was the one aircraft in the raid that carried no armament. One of the Mosquitos turned away to run, and was chased by the German fighters. Going flat out he was able to avoid taking any damage, while pulling the German fighters away from the slower Bostons. The remaining Mosquitos dropped their bombs on the works, dropped to the deck and looked for a way out.
Following both groups were the Venturas, carrying their incendiaries in for a low level attack at Zero plus 6. As they came up behind the initial attack, there was no problem finding the direction to the target, as smoke billowed into the air. However, flying through that environment and delivering their bombs on target was another matter. The smoke obscured the buildings and made it difficult to avoid obstructions. As the Venturas began releasing their incendiaries the fires accelerated, and it was increasingly hard to see. A number of pilots strained to get their aircraft up over the structures. One of the Venturas attacking the complex took a hit and flew into a cloud of smoke. In the darkness it flew straight into a building and exploded. Fire, smoke and bombing aircraft filled the air. Another Ventura was seen to get hit, catch fire and fly straight through a Dutch house, erupting in a fiery explosion as it came out the other side. Another was seen by a following aircraft to deliver its incendiaries, only to have some of the phosphorus splatter onto its tail and set the tail ablaze. It dived into the earth and exploded. They were delivering their ordnance, but were suffering higher losses. Pilot Stephen Roche noted "The flak and machine-gun fire were terrific, and once we bombed it was every man to himself." German gunners on roof tops were seen to fire their guns as the buildings they were standing on burned out underneath them or exploded. Several other Venturas were lost in the attack. Having released their bombs, the aircraft dived to ground level and hedge-hopped for home.
Pelly-Fry's aircraft, hit during the bomb run, had its starboard aileron
An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement aroun ...
shot off, making turns to port very difficult to do. While he struggled for control his course took him north. The trailing Bostons followed him right past the turn point. Soon they were trying to figure out what was going on. They were to clear the target area by flying north for a couple of miles, and then make a hard turn west for the coast. Instead they found themselves continuing north, toward Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
. The north route to the coast was longer, and the port was heavily defended. Their Spitfire escorts would be waiting for them over ''Colijnsplaat''. Eventually a number of the Bostons banked away and headed west. The rest followed north to Rotterdam. Soon they were dodging the tall cranes of the shipping yards, a dangerous undertaking, but they all managed to get through. The Mosquitoes followed the Bostons in for their bomb run on the works. Patterson recalled,
The Mosquito crews were at liberty to choose their own route home to the north on this mission.
Withdrawal
Much faster and with no defensive armament, it made no sense to tie the Mosquitos to the Bostons and Venturas. After initially flying north some turned to the west. Coming up behind the Bostons the Mosquitos could see them weaving and sliding. The Bostons were flying low and as fast as possible, with the hazards now increased by the addition of German fighters. They were lucky not to have any collisions. Said Boston pilot Jack Peppiatt "After a few minutes settling down it all went up with a bang as Fw 190s appeared. Without doubt the next 20 minutes or so were full of action and not a little confusion. Some 10 or 20 aircraft were screaming along, full throttle in a loose mass. No one wanted to be at the back where the Focke-Wulfs were coming in to attack and wheeling away for another go." The Bostons were soon joined by a number of Mosquitos, who looked to gain protection from their defensive firepower, but soon thought the better of it and sped past them. Thankfully the attacks in back were crimped for lack of altitude. Coming in from above they had to turn away early to the side, as there was no room below to dive through the group.
Except for the bomb run, a pilot never flew straight and level over enemy territory. The rear gunner served as the pilot's eyes in back. For a crew to make it home, the rear gunner had to see the enemy fighter, and as he closed in the gunner would wait, calling out to the pilot just as the fighter was preparing to fire. The gunner would fire his .303 machine guns, but accuracy was difficult with the aeroplane jerking about, and of a markedly secondary importance for the survival of the crew. In the running fight to the coast, pilots slid and weaved, keeping an ear out for the cry of "Jink!" Flak picked up again as they reached the coast and followed them out over the sea. One Boston was hit and crashed; as they pulled away larger calibre guns joined in, creating huge splashes with their shells in hopes of knocking an aeroplane down with the spray. This was frightening to the crews, many of whom thought the splashes were the result of their fellow aircraft falling, but they managed to all get clear.
The Mosquitos scattered along different return routes. Patterson decided it might be safer to avoid the planned route the Bostons were taking, as enemy fighters might have gathered over the west coast to intercept them. He headed north for the Zuider Zee
The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee'') was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km (60 miles) inland and at most 50 km (30 miles) wide, with an ...
, looking to hook around west past the gap at Den Helder
Den Helder () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula. It is home to the country's main naval base.
From here the Royal TESO ...
. Fellow Mosquito pilot John O'Grady followed him. O'Grady was a young pilot from Canada who had trained under Patterson at an operational training unit
Royal Air Force Operational Training Units (OTUs) were training units that prepared aircrew for operations on a particular type or types of aircraft or roles.
OTUs
; No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (1 OTU): The Unit was formed in ...
. The two aircraft travelled north over the causeway low and fast, 20 feet over the water. As they approached the choke point where the southern tip of Texel
Texel (; Texels dialect: ) is a municipality and an island with a population of 13,643 in North Holland, Netherlands. It is the largest and most populated island of the West Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea. The island is situated north of Den ...
approached Den Helder the Germans situated there put up a fierce barrage of flak. Patterson managed to fly through it unscathed, but O'Grady's aircraft was hit. They continued on, but a short way out over the North Sea Patterson's navigator called out "He's gone into the sea!" Patterson circled back, but all he could find was broiling water where his friend's aircraft had disappeared.
German fighters had in fact gathered off the coast along the Bostons' route. Wing Commander Peter Dutton, the CO of 107 Squadron, was shot down 6 kilometres out from Katwijk aan Zee
Katwijk aan Zee (literally, ''Katwijk-upon-Sea'') is a seaside resort located on the North Sea at the mouth of the Oude Rijn. It is situated in the municipality of Katwijk and the province of South Holland.
History
The Origin till the Gold ...
. Two more from 107 were lost from fighter attacks over the water. Another from 226 Squadron was lost off Scheveningen
Scheveningen is one of the eight districts of The Hague, Netherlands, as well as a subdistrict (''wijk'') of that city. Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a long, sandy beach, an esplanade, a pier, and a lighthouse. The beach is po ...
.
Aftermath
Analysis
The Eindhoven raid was a success which took the German defenders by surprise. Low level navigation was excellent and around 83 per cent of the aircraft involved delivered bombs with a high degree of accuracy and concentration. Reconnaissance photographs obtained later showed severe damage to the factory. The losses suffered by 2 Group meant that the operation would be unique. Operation Oyster is remembered as 2 Group's most famous and successful operation of the war. Both factory complexes suffered significant damage and production was stopped.
For Frits Philips
Frederik Jacques "Frits" Philips (16 April 1905 – 5 December 2005) was the fourth chairman of the board of directors of the Dutch electronics company Philips, which his uncle and father founded. For his actions in saving 382 Jews during the Naz ...
, chairman of Philips, the destruction came as a shock. Dutch nationalists like Philips had to walk a tightrope. He had to give the appearance of collaborating with his German occupiers, while providing a minimal effort in support of the German war industry. Philips had been hamstringing the plant's production for some time, but the overstated reports he had been sending to Germany had apparently found their way to the Air Ministry. Facing the reality of the destruction the following morning, Philips' first concern was that his skilled workers would be removed to Germany. He immediately set about putting his people to work clearing the debris, providing his German overseers with optimistic projections of the plant's return to function. He made certain the repairs proceeded in a deliberate manner. In May the following year the Gestapo put Philips in a concentration camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simp ...
for five months because he had failed to put an end to a strike. The RAF sent ten Mosquitos to revisit the Philips plants on 30 March 1943 to slow the recovery. It took six months to restore production.
Subsequent events
Back in England, the returning aircraft were met at their airfields by waiting newspapermen, who swarmed about the crews and took pictures of the damaged aeroplanes. That night parties were held, and a concert given with household names from the world of radio entertainment. The next day the raid was celebrated in the press; the crews were all placed on a three-day leave. Eindhoven was liberated on 18 September 1944. An intelligence inspection of the Philips plants noted the passive resistance of the Philips leadership and the distrust of their German overseers. It asserted the most effective sabotage agency in action at Philips had in fact been the German system of allocation and control.Casualties
Aircrew losses were 62 men; nine Venturas, four Bostons and a Mosquito were lost, including one in the sea and another crashed in England, a loss rate of 16 per cent. Thirty-seven Venturas, thirteen Bostons and three Mosquitoes were damaged, seven seriously, 57 per cent of the force. The Venturas had a 20 per cent loss rate and three crash-landings in England, a loss rate that could not be sustained. Few losses and little damage were caused by German fighters, the bombers proving difficult targets at low level; one Mosquito was intercepted by a Fw 190 as it approached Eindhoven and abandoned its bombing run after evading the Fw 190 until the pilot gave up the chase near Flushing. At least 31 aircraft had bird strikes, some hit trees and several Venturas probably hit houses when bombing through smoke; light flak damaged some aircraft and possibly shot down others. The group had to stand down for ten days while aircraft were repaired and losses replaced. A B-17 and a B-24 were lost in the two diversionary raids, along with one of the escorting Spitfires; a Fw 190 was shot down.
Civilian casualties were 150 and 7 German soldiers.
References
Notes Citations Bibliography * * * * * * * *Further reading
* * * {{cite book , last=Murray , first=Williamson , author-link=Williamson Murray , title=Strategy for Defeat: the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945 , location=Maxwell Air Force Base, AL , publisher=Air University Press , year=1989 , orig-year=1983 , isbn=978-0-933852-45-7 , ref=noneExternal links
Charles Patterson film clips from Eindhoven raid, 1942
Gaumont-British News: Bomber Command Wreck the famous Philips Radio Works at Eindhoven, 1942
Pathe: RAF Raid Holland In Daylight, 1942
Movietone News: Nazi war factory wrecked by RAF, 1942
Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,Oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...
Oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...
Oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...
December 1942 events
History of the Royal Air Force during World War II
1942 in Germany
Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,