Bomber Command combat claims per operation

**Lyffe** · 19th March 2023, 13:25

Probably a long shot, but is there a ready reference for combat claims per operation by Bomber Command? Failing that would there be any archived source?

Brian

**JDCAVE** · 19th March 2023, 16:04

Brian: I’m not aware of a ready reference. I know the 6-Group ORB raid summaries give these statistics.

Jim

**phasselgren** · 19th March 2023, 16:16

Brian,

Bomber Command´s combat claims (air to air) are listed in Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations. The National Archives Jan-April 1943 are available to download from AIR50/294 (Combat reports). AIR 14/3433 includes the period Aug 1943 to April 45 but 6 months are missing. There are also short summaries of the combat reports included in these files.

Regards,
Peter

**Richard** · 19th March 2023, 16:19

Hi Brian,

The Bomber Command ORB (AIR 24) includes a monthly summary of air combats. The types and numbers of E/A claimed as destroyed, probable and damaged are given for the month, with a short narrative of each operation. E/A destroyed get a shart narrative each, with a listing for the other categories. It may not give you a 100% view for the month, but it's probably close.

Cheers,

Richard

Edit: X-posted - but we seem to have a choice of routes to the information required.

**phasselgren** · 19th March 2023, 16:54

Hi Richard,

Your post is very interesting to me as the first surviving Monthly Supplementary Narrative of Operations is from January 1943. Have you seen these summaries for months before January 1943?
Can I find these summaries in the Appendices?

Regards,
Peter

**Lyffe** · 20th March 2023, 15:18

Thank you for your advice, gentlemen, and my apologies for not acknowledging your advice sooner.

Edit: I should have also asked if anyone has a copy of AIR 14/3433: Summaries of operations , Jan-Jun 1945? I'm interested in a single night 13-14 April 1945.

Brian