2. Dropping
(Original image courtesy of The National Archives)
All parties left Keevil aerodrome by Stirling on the night
15/16th September. A, B and C parties dropped. D party returned
because fog prevented recognition of the D.Z. Five more attempts, of
which three became airborne were made to drop D. but all were unsuccessful.
Dropping.
Planned Actual Height
Party D.Z. D.Z. Error in Comments
feet
A Q 288485 Q 284485
1 mile 500 1 torch flashing seen by A/C.
Q 299471 Stick broke in two.
Enemy on D.Z.
B Q 650445 Q 7233 7 miles 800 Dropped at Stick Comdr's
discretion through cloud.
Stick broke in prearranged
halves.
C Q 595235 Q 415418 15 miles 800 Panniers not dropped by A/C
as arranged to ground signals.
Stick very scattered.
D V 695320 -- -- -- Between 12th and 17th Sept
5 attempts were made to mount
this operation. Unfavourable
weather reports only permitted
3 flights, and these were
unsuccessful as ground fog and
cloud conditions made it
impossible to recognise the
D.Z., especially as the A/C
were flying sufficiently high
to negotiate the summits of
the Vosges Range.