18/02/1944 Seventy years ago today

[tdm34]

Remember that this country had great men as leaders, and this is one such leader who made the ultimate sacrifice 70 years ago today.

Group Captain P.C. 'Pick' Pickard, DSO, DFC, CzMC. I salute you.



http://www.chrishobbs.com/pickardcharles.htm

The real reasons this raid even took place are still shrouded in mystery and conjecture.

But after reading this book it starts to make sense, thoroughly recommended.




But whatever the reasons, it takes nothing away from the bravery of these boys on that bleak February day over the fields of Picardy.


LEST WE FORGET.

[Eric Mc]

I love Adam Tooby's box art for the Airfix 1/24 Mosquito - which depicts the Amiens Raid.

[Simpo Two]

From what I recall he might have got back OK had he not gone round for another look and collected an Fw190.

[tdm34]

Simpo Two said:

From what I recall he might have got back OK had he not gone round for another look and collected an Fw190.

According to that book he didn't make it to the target, iirc he was in the 2nd or 3rd wave of aircraft and due to an error in timing had to circle away from the prison to ensure he wasn't over the target as the previous waves bombs exploded, he was also the last aircraft in that particular wave of six aircraft, apparently he circled away and was spotted by the FW190 pilot and the rest unfortunately was inevitable, in many respects Pickard shouldn't have lead the raid as he didn't have a lot of experience in daylight operations in the Mosquito, Basil Embry was supposed to lead the operation but it was vetoed by the top brass at the time as he was deemed too important as he was party to some of the planning info for D-Day and it was thought that if he was shot down then it could compromise that operation.

Interestingly it was also Embry that knocked back the request for Pickard to be awarded the VC, as he considered that the raid was nothing other than a normal raid.

Edited by tdm34 on Tuesday 18th February 11:44