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Operation Manna
Interview with Sergeant Stan W. Jones - Wireless
Operator, Lancaster 101 (Special Duty) Squadron, Bomber
Command Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, U.K. April 29th. 1945
Liberator of the Netherlands
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Regardless of pleas from the Red Cross and both the British
Government and the Dutch Government-in -Exile, the Germans
refused to sign a pact to permit planes to drop desperately
needed food into Occupied Holland. Ultimately, the British
informed Germany advising them that planes would fly a
certain track, to a specific point, and drop food. Should
these planes be shot down, the Germans would be tried as
war criminals. Food supplies were already being amassed at
RAF stations. Two Lancasters of # 101 (Special Duties)
Squadron bomb bays were loaded with food. Two crews were
briefed to fly at under 500ft., to a specified area marked
by a red cross and fly across the field dropping down to
50ft and opening the bomb bay doors. The sacks of food would
bounce once or twice and come to a stop, to be collected by
the Dutch police and distributed.
Sunday the 29th , after being held up for three days due to
bad weather, these two planes left Lincolshire with food in
their bomb bays and the crew with hope in their hearts that
they would reach the drop zone and return safely. Over the
Dutch coast we watched the coastal guns follow us across the
sky. Fortunately all was well and we reached the drop zone
in good time. It was well marked and the two planes were
able to drop the sacks of food with no problem. It was now
we had to make our way back home, which was no trouble. I
believe we collected just one rifle bullet hole. On our
return to base, that afternoon over 200 planes, from other
squadrons, made the trip over Holland. We ourselves made
five more trips in the next week or so. We will always
remember the great reception we received each and every
time. There were so may Dutch and English flags everywhere
that it was quite overwhelming. |
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