Page 10 - James Eric Frederick Paton

This map shows the Lancasters approximate crash position 17 miles west of Frankfurt.

The route taken by the bomber stream exiting the UK at Sheringham on the Norfolk coast with the
Lancasters moving initially South East and crossing the continent below Bruges in Belgium
towards Luxembourg then finally turning North East to try and keep Reich Air Defence forces
guessing as to the actual Main Force target. Bomber Command’s tactics that night was to put up
twelve Mosquitos to Aachen, nine to Duisburg and seven to Leipzig, all from No. 8 Group carrying
4,000lb ‘Cookies’ to confuse the Germans into thinking these towns were the focus of the main
attack. Four radio counter measures sorties from No. 100 Group dropping 'Window' in front of the
Main Force (strips of aluminium foil cut to the radar wave length which would jam the radar sets
screens),thus denying Reich air defence radars the size and direction of the attack.

Three Beaufighters were sent on 'Serrate' patrols, (these British radar equipped night fighters flew
among the Main Force bombers and using their on board radar intercepted and destroyed German
night fighters). Seven Operational Training Unit sorties dropping of Ariel sea mines by novice
crew’s still under training into German shipping lanes, this type of operation was known as
'Gardening'. One Beaufighter was lost on these intercept operations. Main Force crew’s returned
via the Hanover area crossing the UK coastline at Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire,