The U-boat pens that are still standing at Lorient as part of a museum.

The Lorient raid was the Thunderbirds' first, and the newly formed No 6 Group's first bombing operation. Thirty-five Wellingtons and nineteen Halifaxes were detailed to go, but because of bad weather at several airfields, only No 408 (Goose) Squadron and No 426 actually sent aircraft. W/C Blanchard and his crew were airborne at 2218 hours, several minutes ahead of the detail, to check for icing problems. When Blanchard reported favourable conditions, the rest of the detail took off. They joined 113 other Bomber Command aircraft making their way across the English Channel. 

No 426 Squadron provided ten Wellingtons for this attack. The target was a major U-boat base on the Bay of Biscay. The Battle for the North Atlantic was costing the Allies thousands of lives and tons of cargo daily, and stopping the U-boats was an utmost priority. The Thunderbirds' bombers were loaded with two 1000-pound bombs and two containers of incendiaries, loaded by ground crews that worked in the cold and dark with no supper to get the aircraft ready on time. 

At about 0100 hours, 15 Jan 43, the first strike of the Thunderbirds took place, led by S/L Dowie and his crew. Dropping their bombloads from altitudes between 12000 and 17500 feet, flying through medium flak, and dodging night-fighters. Wellington BK165/OW "F" with it's crew did not return; tragic consequences on this first operation. The pilot P/O G. Milne (Calgary, Alberta), navigator P/O R.C. Richards (Port Arthur, Ontario), bomb aimer Sgt J.A. Pollock (McConnell, Manitoba), wireless operator P/O G.A. McQuillan (Lucknow, Ontario), air gunner Sgt W.J. Sullivan (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), and rear gunner Sgt A.R. Maddison (Sunderland, County Durham), have no known grave. 

First Raid Report