'Gardening' in the Bay of Biscay

25th July 1942: Bomber Command mine laying operations were regarded as less hazardous than bombing - but were never without risk ...

Lancaster bomber and crew, 1942. ‘The Flight Commander and his crew arriving at their aircraft. Two members of the crew are carrying homing pigeons - to be used should an emergency arise.’

The night of 25th/26th July 1942 should have been a routine operation for Arthur Adams¹:

"A piece of cake!” some of the boys said before we took off. "An easy six hours"…