Page 33 - Roland Robert John Young
P. 33
Eighth Operation
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February 8 /9 1945 Take off: 19.05pm. Return: 04.05am.
Politz - Synthetic oil plant. Lancaster PD232 O - Oboe.
475 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No. 1, 5 and 8 Groups. 12 Lancasters lost, one
of them coming down in Sweden. The attack took place in 2 waves, the first being
marked and carried out entirely by the No. 5 Group method and the second being
marked by the Pathfinders of No. 8 Group. The weather conditions were clear and
the bombing of both waves was extremely accurate. Severe damage was caused to
this important synthetic-oil plant. It produced no further oil during the war. Speer
mentioned this raid, in his post-war interrogations, as being another big setback to
Germany's war effort. The town was captured by Russian forces and is now
part of Poland.
