2. Dropping

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.