6005 BIN 26/27-8-44 // NT 8" 17250 <- 059° 23:28 KIEL
MI 1x4000 11x30 12x4 29 secs F/O Grimmett K2 460
Photo of impact of bombing taken by aircraft K2, (ND615), camera.
Kiel, 26 Aug 1944, 23:28 hours, 17,250 feet.
Vic's log book states – "Docks Industrial Area" Bomb load: 1 x 4,000, 108 x 30, 1470 x 4 (incendiaries). Flak, a few search lights, 8 minutes late over target.
A description of the raid as appearing in the Bomber Command War Diaries, M. Middlebrook, C. Everitt :– "372 Lancaster, 10 Mosquitoes. 17 Lancasters lost, 4.6% of the force. The Pathfinder marking was hampered by smoke–screens but the local report tells of a very serious raid with heavy bombing in the town centre and surrounding districts and widespread fires fanned by a strong wind. The Rathaus was completely burnt out, and many other public buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged. A large public shelter, the Waisenhof bunker, was cut off by fire but the report does not say whether the people inside were eventually rescued. 134 people were killed and 1,002 were injured."
Wavy patterns in the photograph indicates evasive action taken over the target, probably due to closeness of another aircraft.