Page 46 - Derek Braithet Holland

This picture of PD 363 K – KILO2 shown on its dispersal on ҅A’ Flight line. The crew flew in her
th
once on the 7 February 1945 to Kleve. The Lancaster tasking off at 1900pm on the evening of
th
the 7 and returning at 00.05am next morning. 295 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of No. 1 and 8
Groups taking part in this operation.1 Lancaster was lost. 285 aircraft bombed at Kleve, after the
war, Kleve claimed to be the most completely destroyed town in Germany of its size. The British
attack, led by the 15th (Scottish) Division, made a successful start a few hours later but quickly
ground to a halt because of a thaw, which caused flooding on the few roads available for the
advance, and also because of the ruins which blocked the way through Kleve. Lieutenant-General
B.G. Horrocks, the Corps Commander in charge of the attack, later claimed that he had requested
that Kleve should only be subjected to an incendiary raid but Bomber Command dropped 1,384
tons of high explosive on the town.

Behind the Lancaster is Fiskerton village. The dispersal is now built on by Primtake Ltd a specialist
ammunition manufacturer.

Primtake