The First Lancaster VC
The Story of S/ Ldr J.D.Nettleton Who Led the Daring Augsburg Raid
Jun 24, 2009
In February/March 1942 two significant events occurred; in February, Air Chief Marshall Arthur Harris succeeded Sir Richard Pierse as C-in-C Bomber Command and in March the Avro Lancaster became operational. Harris’s unrelenting pressure on the German war effort and also on his own crews will always be a controversial issue. His appointment came at a bleak period in the fortunes of Britain and her Empire; for up until 1942 Bomber Command’s night offensive had proved to be disappointing. It became increasingly apparent that most crews were unable to find their targets except in the most favourable of circumstances. A more disturbing theatre of operations was the Battle of the Atlantic; the lifeline to the United Kingdom that was in danger of strangulation by unsustainable merchant ship losses. The Admiralty was sufficiently concerned with the situation to approach Bomber Command with a request to attack the U-boat problem at its roots. Would it be possible to carry out pinpoint raids on selected factories involved in U-boat production?
Low Level Raid
Until then no aircraft in service could fulfil such a task, but with the introduction of the Lancaster it seemed feasible that the new bomber might have the ability to carry out such missions in daylight. As a result No.44 and 97, the two squadrons recently converted to Lancasters were selected to carry out a pinpoint raid on a selected target. The M.A.N. diesel engine works located at Augsburg in southern Germany was chosen as the objective.
Statistics facing the 12 crews from 44 and 97 were daunting in the extreme, and to be expected to cover 500 miles in broad daylight to their objective over occupied Europe bordered on suicidal. Fortunately for their peace of mind the target was not revealed until the morning of 17 April. Prior to that they carried out an intensive period of special training in low-level formation flying; with most crews of the opinion that their target would be a German capital ship.
Deadly Luftwaffe Encounter
Chosen to lead the six Lancasters from No.44 was Rhodesian–born, Squadron Leader J.D.Nettleton; while 97 Squadron would be led by Sqdrn.Ldr. Sherwood. Luftwaffe fighter reaction was bound to be fierce; and as a diversion a large-scale raid by light bombers, supported by some 800 fighters was mounted against the Pas de Calais area to draw the German fighters north of the Lancaster’s intended route. In clear conditions of a late afternoon the Lancasters of No.44 crossed the enemy coast at rooftop level, and in formations of three aircraft they pressed on to the target. By a drastic mischance they encountered a flight of Me.109s returning to their nearby base following the Pas de Calais interception. A deadly pursuit began as the six Lancasters closed up for mutual protection, flying even nearer to the ground. It was the Luftwaffe’s first encounter with a Lancaster and initially the fighters stayed out of range of the concentrated fire from their rear and mid-upper turrets.Unfortunately the RAF gunners began to suffer stoppages with their .303 Brownings until they were rendered defenceless in the most fatal of situations. The cannon-armed Me109s moved in for the kill and one after the other, four of the six Lancasters went down in flames. At that point the fighters, short of fuel, broke off the combat, leaving the two survivors, Nettleton and his No.2 Garwell to their fate. They closed up even more and pressed on to Augsburg, still a desperately long distance away; the mission could hardly have got off to a worse start.
One Surviving Crew
As dusk was falling they crested the hills surrounding the town; and after identifying their target the two Lancasters hurtled side-by-side through a barrage of flak to their objective. Both aircraft bombed successfully but so intense was the flak that Garwell’s aircraft burst into flames and crash-landed beyond the target. With his Lancaster rendered defenceless and riddled with cannon and bullet holes Nettleton made a safe return to base.They were the only crew of the six despatched from Waddington to do so.
A Costly Mission
The six Lancasters of No.97 fared little better than their comrades, with three of them brought down over the target. The loss rate made it one of the costliest raids of the war but it highlighted the determination of crews in that spectacular mission. It also revealed shortcomings in the .303 armament against cannon-equipped fighters. Not until the latter stages of the RAF bombing campaign was it practical to operate heavy bombers in the daylight role. Nettleton’s inspired leadership was recognised with the award of the V.C., the first of 10 Lancaster crew members to receive the ultimate decoration. Sadly, he did not survive the war, being posted missing following a raid on Turin in December 1943.
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