Page 165 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

An account of the raid was printed in the Cape Times of 20 April 1942:

CAPE TOWN BOY IN EPIC R.A.F. RAID
DESCRIBES DAY THRUST DEEP INTO GERMANY
“WE CHARGED RIGHT AT AUGSBURG”

Leader of the first section of giant Lancaster bombers in Friday’s
daylight R.A.F. raid into Germany – one of the most daring raids of
the war – was Squadron-Leader J. D. Nettleton, a young South
African whose parents live at Rondebosch.

In a graphic account of the raid, which involved a 1,000-mile flight
over Germany and occupied Europe, Squadron-Leader Nettleton
said: “From the French coast right to Augsburg we flew at 25 to 30
feet above the ground …….. we charged straight at Augsburg.”

They had to fight off continued German fighter attacks, he said,
and they met intense anti-aircraft fire, but they pushed through and
got their target – a vital U-boat factory. Seven of the 12 British
bombers did not return.

FIERCE AIR FIGHTS

LONDON, Sunday. – Lancaster bombers, in the R.A.F.’s longest
daylight raid, attacked Augsburg on Friday on a 1,000 miles flight
over enemy and occupied territory. Twelve Lancasters set out.
Seven failed to return to their base, four being shot down south of
Paris and three brought down by anti-aircraft fire after dropping
their bombs on their Augsburg target. Augsburg manufactures half
the Diesel engines for the German submarines, and the British Air
Ministry states that the works were hit by many bombs.

This is the first time that Lancasters have been mentioned in
operations. Two of the section-leaders, Squadron-Leader J. S.
Sherwood, D.F.C., and Flight-Lieut. R. R. Sandford, are missing.
Squadron-Leader J. D. Nettleton and Flight-Lt. Penman, who led
the other two sections, returned safely.

SECTION LEADER’S STORY

Graphic details of the attack were given by Squadron-Leader
Nettleton, who led the first section of Lancasters. He said:

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