Mosquito: Menacing the Reich: Combat Action in the Twin-engine Wooden Wonder of World War II by Martin Bowman Page B

Group was to attack at 22.15 hours, using its own pathfinder technique to mark the target. This was a combination of two Lancaster Squadrons; 83 and 97, to illuminate the target with Primary Blind Markers and parachute flares to light up the target and 627 Squadron whose Mosquitoes carried ten Red TIs, two yellow and eight Wanganuis , to mark visually the aiming point from low level. The first Mosquito marker had to identify and mark with Red TI to be assessed if accurate to be backed up by other Markers. If the Red TIs were more than 50 yards from the aiming point the Marker Leader would call for the ‘Yellows’ to be dropped alongside the inaccurate Reds and then the target would have to be marked by the other members of the team. The bomber crews knew that if they saw reds and yellows together they had to ignore them and concentrate on the Red TIs burning alone. If the marking point could not be marked the primary Greens were to be backed up with Reds. If the Greens were inaccurate, the aiming point was to be marked with Reds. At Dresden the aiming-point was to be a sports stadium in the centre of the city situated near the lines of railway and river, which would serve as a pointer to the Stadium for the Marker Force, especially since it was anticipated that visibility might not be too good. There were six such stadiums in the area so particular care had to be exercised. At 22.13 hours 244 Lancasters, controlled throughout by the Master Bomber, would begin their attack. A second raid was timed for 01.30 hours on the 14th by another 529 aircraft of Bomber Command. 164 Calculations were that a delay of 3 hours would allow the fires to get a grip on the sector (provided the first attack was successful) and fire brigades from other cities would concentrate fighting the fires. In this second attack target marking was to be carried out by 8 Pathfinder Group.
    Bill Topper continues:
    We were operating at the limit of our fuel, which didn’t allow a very good dog-leg to disguise the target. 165 We went towards Chemnitz and at the last minute altered course a few degrees and went down fairly rapidly from 30,000ft to 5,000ft at which point I called the Controller, who was Maurice Smith of 54 Base, to say I was clear of cloud cover. Garth said we would be there in one minute, packed all his navigational gear away, put the bag on his knees, his usual habit, with the Target map on top. This had concentric circles 100 yards apart surrounding the marking point, which was the centre of the middle stadium of a line of three across the city. In the event the bad weather front cleared as we got there and 5 Group Lancasters had no trouble in seeing the TIs. And then, as if by magic, the green flares were coming down from the two Lancaster Pathfinder Squadrons of 5 Group, which were flying at about 12,000ft. Down below was the city, as though in bright moonlight, with the river winding through it and there were the three sports stadiums. By now we were down to 3,000ft and Garth had selected the switches on the bomb panel. I called out, “Tally Ho!” and down we went, Garth calling out each 100ft as the altimeter unwound itself. At 700ft I pressed the button and away went a 1,000lb Red. Immediately there came a brilliant flash under the aircraft; the first photograph had been taken. We continued down to about 400ft where we levelled out, counting the flashes: six. Up with the nose and full power to regain height quickly, but there was no need: there was no flak; the city was undefended. (The opposition started the next day, at home, at Westminster). 166 The Controller and one of the markers assessed the TI as 100 yards east and backing up was called for. One by one they called up, went in, cleared and climbed away while the red splash in the stadium widened and intensified.
    Flight Lieutenant ‘Mad Jock’ Walker and his observer, Warrant Officer (later Flying Officer) Ken Oatley were Marker 2. Oatley recalls:
    We had just about completed