Three squadrons of Mosquito's streak over snow covered
France at tree-top height; their
target a prison full of Resistance Fighters and British Agents, their purpose to
free them - or kill them. Desperate calls to London from the French Resistance
told of 100 men and women due to be shot at dawn, and of a British Agent being
tortured to reveal the secrets of the Allied invasion plan. Film-Star RAF pilot
Group Captain Pickard led the raid that smashed the prison walls and killed the
German guards while the Resistance stormed the prison to release their
comrades.
This is the legend behind one of the most famous precision bombing
raids of WW2, a raid of great daring that inspired the films 633 Squadron and
Mosquito Squadron - but what was the truth? For over 60 years this version of
events has been believed and many have gone to their graves in the certain
knowledge that they had helped save the inmates from certain death and preserved
the secret of the coming invasion, but this was not the truth. The following are
among the often repeated 'facts' that are shown to be incorrect: Legend: The
raid was to free Resistance workers and saboteurs Truth: The raid was part of a
deception that led Rommel to believe the Allies would land in the north Legend:
The raid was code-named Operation Jericho Truth: The raid had no code-name. It
was called Operation Jericho in a post-war film Legend: A mass-execution was to
take place the next day Truth: There was no 'mass-execution' of Resistance
workers planned Legend: A British Agent who knew the details of the Allied
Invasion was being tortured to reveal the secrets Truth: There was no such agent
Legend: 'Film Star' pilot Pickard lead the raid and dropped the bomb that
breached the walls Truth: Group Captain Pickard was shot down before he dropped
his bombs.
