On this day, the British launch Operation
Sunrise, an ambitious operation aimed at knocking out the German capital ships
Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen and Scharnhorst, who were being repaired at the
shipyards in Brest and La Pallice. A force of 100 bombers escorted by 24
fighters is sent to attack Brest while a smaller detachment of 15 Halifaxes
(without fighter escort due to the distances involved) targets La Pallice. In
their path is Hptm. Karl-Heinz Krahl’s I./JG 2, tasked with the air protection
of the ports and which puts up an effective defence. The Gruppe claims 3
fighters and 21 bombers destroyed, very close to the acknowledged 17 bombers
lost reported by the RAF, although it also pays a heavy price for its success with
5 pilots killed and 2 wounded, plus 7 “Emils” destroyed and 2 damaged.
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