Bombing of Peugeot factory 15/16 july 1943 Sochaux

And some other replies from our e-mail group AB-IX

If that member can be named, we at the French branch would be glad to tell him and explain (in French !) how he can download most RAF Squadrons archival material from the PRO.
Leaving of course our British sleuths with the task of listing independent but appropriate sites !
Jean-Pierre Dubois

There was a lot of paper work generated, the raid plans, the initial reports at squadron, group and command level, reconnaissance reports and generally a final report. They can be found in various archive files around the world. Then there are all the post war books etc.
At the British archives in Kew start with the squadron Records of events and summary of events, they can also be read online, the other reports will require a visit or requesting a copy. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search
See also heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_135766 405 squadron, see reel C12770, images 1265, 1267, 1276, 1277
www.lancasterbombers.net/ has some of the aircraft loss and accident reports.
Australian Archives AWM166 194 has the immediate/initial raid report.
At the time the pathfinders had 2 Halifax squadrons, 35 and 405, both sent aircraft while 4 group had 7 Halifax squadrons, 10, 51, 76, 77, 78, 102, 158, all 7 sent aircraft.
AIR 14/931 location Montbeliard, code Z.618, The weight of attack was pathfinders,31 Halifax sent, 30 attacking, 85x1000 MC pound, 93x500 pound MC high explosive, 38x250 pound marker bombs, 68 flares, 58.7 long tons of HE, 4.2 of incendiary, total 62.9 tons, 1 aircraft missing, 2 damaged, attacking from between 6 and 12,000 feet
4 group, 134 Halifax sent, 127 attacking, 236x1000 pound MC, 232x1000 pound GP, 441x500 pound MC high explosive, 560x30 pound and 5,280x4 pound X type incendiary, 1,920x4 pound incendiary, 307.4 long tons of HE, 20.4 of incendiary, total 327.8 tons, 4 aircraft missing, 1 damaged, attacking from between 4,500 and 16?,000 feet.
The book Bomber Command War Losses of the second world War 1943 by W.R. Chorley lists the loss location, crew members and their fates. The book as 5 Halifax lost and 1 crashed, later written off. Two losses from 10 squadron (JB961 and JD211), crews killed, 1 loss from 78 squadron (DT768) with 2 killed, 5 PoW, 1 loss from 158 squadron (HR752) with 4 killed, 1 PoW, 2 evaded, 1 loss from 405 squadron (HR854) with 1 PoW, 6 evaded. The crash was 78 squadron DT771, crew safe.
Nachtjagd War Diaries by Theo Boiten matches one of the 10 squadron and the 156 squadron loss to Luftwaffe night fighter claims, and possibly matches the other 10 squadron and the 405 squadron loss to claims.
Geoffrey Sinclair

The replies so far suggest the July Sochaux raid has been extensively researched but the results are dispersed (as was the July bombing tragically). Searches about Sochaux lead to the unusual story of conscientious objector/ pacifist turned SOE agent(!) Harry Rée ( Wikipedia page and spartacus-educational.com/SOEree.htm ) and how the Peugeot plant was later blown up with the help of insiders.
M West