Moonlight disaster for the RAF

4th May 1944: The Luftwaffe strike as Lancaster bombers circle over the barracks at Mailly-le-Camp occupied by the Germans

A RAF Bomber Command Lancaster approaching the target on the night of 3rd/4th May 1944.

A view of the French barracks at Mailly le Camp before the Germation.

On the night of the 3rd/4th May RAF Bomber Command attacked a Wehrmacht training centre close to the village of Mailly Le Camp, France, a large barrack complex originally built for the French army in 1902. It was a relatively small target and the intention was to obliterate it with high explosives. There was intelligence that a Panzer Divison was using the workshops so the raid was hurriedly organised - and set for a moonlit night which would ordinarily have been avoided.

Wing Commander Cheshire led the Pathfinder force, which marked the target.

The 14 Pathfinder Mosquitos, a force led by Wing Commander Cheshire, accurately marked the target. The 'Main Force Controller' then attempted to call in the 346 Lancaster bombers to begin the attack. His radio transmissions were drowned out by an American forces broadcast of band music, somehow set on the same frequency.

Significant delays occurred before the Deputy 'Main Force Controller' took over and ordered the bombers to attack. The delay was sufficient for the Luftwaffe night fighters to arrive - and dozens of heavy bombers circling in the moonlight proved to be an ideal opportunity for them. In total 42 Lancasters were shot down - 258 airmen were killed. This was an unsustainable rate - comparable to those sustained attacking the most dangerous targets like heavily defended Berlin

The Luftwaffe night fighter ace Martin Drewes claimed five bombers shot down during the raid.