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578 Squadron Diary of Operations

AFFIXES
(B) Belgium, (F) France, (G) Germany, (N) Netherlands : Attack carried out in  AM daylight or PM darkness,  a) -number of aircraft airborne, b) aircraft lost, c) aircraft severely damaged, d) crew killed, e) known crew wounded, f) known crew taken as Prisoner of War, g) known crew evading capture.

1944:  
20 January: Berlin (G)  PM,  a)6, c)2, e)l.
21 January: Magdeburg (G)  PM,  a)6, b)I, d)3.
28 January: Berlin (G)  PM,  a)7, c)l.
30 January: Berlin (G)  PM,  a)15.
15 February: Berlin (G)  PM,  a)14, b)l, d)3, f)4.
19 February: Leipzig (G)  PM,  a)12.
20 February: Stuttgart (G)  Bosch factory: PM,  a) 10.
24 February: Schweinfurt (G) a)14, b)2, c) 7.
25 February: Ausburg (G) a)10.
1 March: Stuttgart (G)  a)16.
6 March: Trapps (F) a)6.
7 March: Le Mans (F) a)9.
13 March: Le Mans (F) a)12, b)1.
15 March: Stuttgart (G)  PM,  a)16, b)3, d)12, e)5, f)3.
18 March: Frankfurt (G)  PM,  a)ll, b)l, d)7.
22 March: Frankfurt (G)  PM,  a)16, b)l, f)7.
24 March: Berlin (G)  PM,  a)15, b)3, c)l, d)18, f)2.
25 March: Aulnoye (F)  PM,  a)l
26 March: Essen (G)  PM,  a)12.
30 March: Nuremburg (G)  PM,  a)12, b)3, d)15, f)3. F/ O Cyril Barton awarded V.C,
9 April: Lille (F)  Railway marshalling yards: PM,  a)l 7.
10 April: Tergnier (F)  Railway installations:  PM,  a) 17.
18 April: Tergnier (F)  Railway installations: PM,  a)18.
20 April: Ottignes (B)  Railway yards:  PM,  a)21.
22 April: Dusseldorf (G)  PM,  a)18, b)l, d)4, f)3  one died whilst PoW.
24 April: Karlsruhe (G)  PM,  a)21.
16 April: Essen (G)  PM,  a)12.
16 April: Villenuve-St-Georges (F)  Railway marshalling yards: PM,  a)9.
27 April: Aulnoye (F)  Railway marshalling yards: PM,  a)21.
30 April: Achres (F) Railway marshalling yards: PM,  a)23.
1 May:  Malines (B)  Railway installations:  PM,  a)16.
8 May:  Berneval (F)  Gun positions: PM, a)16.
9 May:  Morsalines (F)  PM,  a)12.
10 May:  Lens (B)  Railway marshalling yards) PM,  a)12.
11 May:  Trouville (F)  Railway yards:  PM,  a)l 7.
22 May:  Orleans (F)  Railway repair workshops: PM,  a)24.
24 May:  Coline Beaumont (F)  Gun position:  PM,  a)9.
24 May:  Aachen (G)  Railway yards:  PM,  a)15.
27 May:  Bourg-Leopold (B)  Military camp:  PM,  a)23, c)2
31 May:  Trappes (F)  Railway yards: PM,  a)23.
2 June: Haringzelles (F)  Railway yards: PM,  a)16.
4 June: Bologne (F)  Coastal gun batteries: PM,  a)24.
5 June: Mont Fleury (F)  Coastal gun batteries: PM,  a)24, b)l, d)4, g)3.
6 June: Chateaudun (F) Rail & Road communications: PM,  a)25, b)l, d)7.
8 June: Aiecon (F)  Railway installations: PM,  a)26.
11 June: Massey-Palaiseau  Railway yards:(F)  PM,  a)26.
12 June: Amiens (F)  Railway centre: PM,  a)25, b)2, d)12, f)2.
14 June: Douai (F)  Railway installations:  PM,  a)19
15 June: Rennet (F)  Fouillard Fuel Depot::  PM,  a)20.
17 June: St.Martin l'Hortier (F)  Railway installations: PM,  a)23.
22 June: Siracourt (F)  VI weapon assembly and launching site: PM,  a)24.
23 June: Oisement Neuville au Bois (F)  Supply depot: PM,  a)24.
24 June: Le Grand Rossignol (F)  VI factory and launching site: PM,  a)23.
27 June: Marquise Mimoyeeques (F) V3 'London Cannon' site:  AM,  a)25.
28 June: Vizernes (F) V2 factory and launching site:  AM,  a)24, c)l, e)l.
30 June: Villers-Bocage (F)  German Panzer Division tank park:  AM,  a)24.
1 July: Oisement and Neuville-au-Bois (F)   VI weapon sites:  A,M   a)25.
4 July: St. Martin l'Hortier (F)  VI weapon site:  AM,  a)24.
6 July: St. Martin l'Hortier (F)  VI weapon site:  AM,  a)23.
6 July: Croix-Dalle (F)  VI weapon site:   AM,  a)22, b)l, d)7.
9 July: Les Catelliers (F)  VI weapon site:  AM,  a)26.
12 July: Thiverney (F)  VI storage dump:  AM,  a)21.
15 July: Nucourt (F)  VI weapon site:  PM,  a)19.
17 July: Bois de la Haie (F)  VI site:  PM,  a)6.
18 July: Caen (F)  Fortified villages:  AM,  a)21, b)l, d)6.
20 July:  Bottrop (G)  Ssynthetic oil plant:   PM,  a)26, b)6, d)36, f)6, g)l
23 July:  Keil (G)  PM,  a)19.
24 July:  Stuttgart (G)  PM,  a)7.
28 July:  Foret de Nieppe (F)   V weapon sites:  AM,  a)16.
29 July:  Foret de Nieppe (F)  V weapon sites:  PM  a)8.
30 July:  Villers Bocage-Camont (F)  German troop positions:  AM,  a) 14.
1 August: Anderbelk (F)  VI weapon launch site:  AM  a)26.
2 August: Le Nieppe (F)  VI weapon site:  AM,  a)10.
3 August: L'Isle Adam and Bois de Cassan (F)  VI launch site: AM,   a)21.
3 August: Foret de Nieppe (F)  VI weapon installation: AM,  a)10, b)l, e)l.
5 August: Foret de Nieppe (F)  VI weapon sites:  AM,  a)25.
6 August: Hazebrouck (F)  VI weapon site:  AM,  a)24.
7 August: Normandy Battle Area (F)  German troop strong points:  PM,  a)20.
9 August: Foret de Mormal (F) Fuel storage dump:  AM,  a)24.
11 August: Somain (F)  Railway marshalling yard:  AM,  a)28.
12 August: Russelheirn (G)  Opal motor works:  PM,  a)24, b)2, djll, f)3.
14 August: Falaise (F)  German troop positions:  AM,  a)10.
15 August: Tirlemont (B)  Airfield:  AM,  a)25.
16 August: Keil (G)  Naval Dockyard:  PM,  a)23.
18 August: Sterkrade (G)  Synthetic oil plant:  PM,  a)20.
25 August: Watten (F)  V2 weapon and liquid oxygen fuel plant:  AM,  a)7.
25 August: Brest (F)  Coastal battery positions  AM,  a)l 7.
27 August: Meerbeck (G)  Rheinpreussen synthetic oil refinery:  AM,  a)24.
31 August: Lumbres (F)  V2 rocket installation:  AM,  a)24.
3 September: Venlo (N)  Airfield:  AM,  a)18.
9 September: Le Havre (F)  Missionabandoned short of targe:  AM,  a)21.
10 September: Le Havre (F)  German strong point:  AM,  a)12.
10 September: Le Havre (F)  German gun position:  PM,  a)12.
11 September: Gelsenkirchen (G)  AM,   a)23, b)2, d)l, f)6, g)l.
12 September: Munster (G)  AM,  a)18.
14 September: Wilhelmshaven (G)  Missionabandoned short of  target:  AM,  a)15.
15 September: Keil (G)  PM,  a)24.
17 September: Boulogne (F)  German troop positions:  AM,  a)22.
24 September: Calais (F)  German troop concentrations:  AM,  a)21, c)l, e)l.
25 September: Calais (F)  German defensive positions:  AM,  a)23.
26 September: Calais (F)  German defensive positions:  AM,  a)20.
27 September: Calais (F)  German defensive positions:  AM  a)ll.
30 September: Bottrop (G)  Oil plant:  AM,  a)20.
6 October: Sterkrade (G)  Synthetic oil plant:   AM,  a)24
7 October: Kleeve (N)   AM,  a)24.
9 October: Bocham (G)  PM,  a)17, d)1
14 October: Duisberg (G)  AM,  a)23.
15 October: Duisberg (G)  PM,  a)24.
23 October: Essen (G)  AM,  a)24.
25 October: Essen (G)  AM,  a)20.
28 October: Domburg (N)  AM,  a)17.
29 October: Domburg (N)  AM,  a)19.
30 October: Cologne (G)  PM,  a)19.
31 October: Cologne (G)  PM,  a)ll.
2 November: Dusseldorf (G)  PM,  a)16.
6 November: Gelsenkirchen (G)  Nordstern synthetic oil plant:   AM,  a)22.
16 November: Julich (G)   German communication lines:   AM,  a)22.
18 November: Munster (G)  AM,  a)19.
21 November: Sterkrade (G)  Synthetic oil refinery:  AM,  a)19.
29 November: Essen (G)  PM,  a)24.
30 November: Duisberg (G)  AM,  a)17, b)l, d)7.
2 December: Hagen (G)  U Boat battery factory: PM,   a)20.
5 December: Soest (G)  Railway installations:  PM,  a) 10.
7 December: Osnabruck (G)  Railway yards:  PM,  a)14.
12 December: Essen (G)  Krupp works:  PM,  a)19, c)l, e)l.
18 December: Duisberg (G)  PM,  a)16.
22 December: Bingen (G)  Railway yards:  AM,   a)12, b)l, d)3, f)4, g)l.
24 December: Essen-Mulheim (G)  Airfield:  AM,  a)14.
28 December: Opladen (G)  Railway marshalling yards:  PM,  a)8.
30 December: Cologne-Kalk-Nord (G)  Railway marshalling yards:  PM,  a)14.
   
1945:  
2 January: Oppau (G)  AM,   a)14.
5 January: Hanover (G)  AM,  a)14, b)l, g)7.
6 January: Hanau (G ) Railway junction:  AM,   a)12.
13 January: Saabruken (G)  Railway communications centre:  PM,   a)15.
14 January: Dulmen (G)  Fuel storage depot:  PM,  a)12, b)l, d)8.
16 January: Magdeburg (G)  PM,  a)16, b)l, d)2, f)6.
28 January: Zuffenhousen (G)  Aircraft factory:  P,M  a)13.
1 February: Mainz (G)  PM,  a)19.
2 February: Wanne Eickel (G)  Oil refinery:  PM,  a)15.
4 February: Gelsenkirchen (G) Nordstern synthetic oil plant:  PM,  a) 17.
13 February: Bohlen (G)  Synthetic oil plant::  PM,   a)12.
14 February: Cheminitz (G)  PM,  a)13.
17 February: Wesel (G)  AM,   a)ll.
20 February: Reisholz (G)  Oil refinery:  PM,  a)10, b)2, d)5, e)l, f)10.
21 February: Worms (G)  AM,  a)14, b)2, d)13, f)l.
23 February: Essen (G)  AM  a)14.
24 February: Kamen (G)  Synthetic oil plant:  AM,  a)13
27 February: Maintz (G)  AM,  a)14.
2 March: Cologne (G)  AM,  a)15.
3 March: Kamen (G) PM,  a)15.
5 March: Cheminitz (G)  PM,  a)15.
7 March: Hemmingstadt (G)  Oil refinery:  PM,  a)12, b)2, d)14.
8 March: Hamberg (G)  Shipyards:  PM,  a)12.
11 March: Essen (G)  AM,  a)15.
12 March: Dortmund (G)  AM,   a)13.
13 March: Wuppertal (G)  AM,  a)14. The last 578 Squadron operation.

source:  ‘Based at Burn Mk II’
Author :  ‘Hugh Cawdron’