Operation Jericho - The Amiens Prison Raid - in Artwork

Serial	Type	Squadron	Code	Pilot	Navigator	Details
DZ414	Mosquito	PRU	O	Flt Lt Wickam	P/O Howard	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, as part of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, and returned safely. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Wickam (pilot) and Pilot Officer Howard (navigator).
HX855	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-Q	Sqn Ldr Brian Hanafin	Sqn Ldr Livry	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but turned back. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Hanafin (pilot) and Squadron Leader Livry (navigator)
HX856	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-H	Flt Sgt Jennings	W/O Nichols	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, and returned safely. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Sergeant Jennings (pilot) and Warrant Officer Nichols (navigator).
HX909	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-C	P/O Darrell	P/O Stevenson	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, and returned safely. The aircraft was crewed by Pilot Officer Darrell (pilot) and Pilot Officer Stevenson (navigator).
HX922	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	EG-F	Grp Cpt Percy Charles Pickard	Flt Lt John Alan Broadley	Shot down by Fw190s during the attack on Amiens prison. Group Captain Percy Charles Pickard (pilot) killed, Flight Lieutenant John Alan Broadley (navigator) killed.
HX950	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-C	Flt Lt Wheeler	Fl Off Redington	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but was instructed not to attack. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Wheeler (pilot) and Flying Officer Redington (navigator).
HX974	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-J	P/O Fowler	W/O Wilkins	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, and returned safely. The aircraft was crewed by Pilot Officer Fowler and Warrant Officer Wilkins
HX982	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-T	Flt Lt Maxwell N Sparks	P/O Arthur C Dunlop	lown by Pilot Officer Maxwell Sparks (pilot) and Pilot Officer A C Dunlop (navigator) on Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid. The aircraft was damaged by flak and suffered a collapsed undercarriage on landing. The crew were uninjured.
LR333	Mosquito	No.487 Sqn	EG-R	W/C Smith	Flt Lt Barnes	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, and returned safely. The aircraft was crewed by Wing Commander Smith DFC (pilot) and Flight Lieutenant Barnes DFC (navigator).
LR334	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	SB-F	W/C Robert Wilson Iredale	Flt Lt J L McCaul	Took part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid. Crewed by Wing Commander Robert Wilson Iredale (pilot) and Flight Lieutenant J L McCaul, the aircraft returned to base safely after the mission.
LR348	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-P	Flt Lt Hogan	Flg Off Crowfoot	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but turned back. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Hogan (pilot) and Flying Officer Crowfoot (navigator).
LR385	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-D	Flt Lt Taylor	unknown	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but was instructed not to attack. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Taylor (pilot).
LR388	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-F	Flt Sgt Steadman	P/O Reynolds	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but turned back. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Sergeant Steadman (pilot) and Pilot Officer Reynolds (navigator).
LR403	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-U	W/C Dale	Flg Off / Gabites	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but was instructed not to attack. The aircraft was crewed by Wing Commander Dale and Flying Officer Gabites.
MM398	Mosquito	No.21 Sqn	YH-J	Flt Lt Benn	Flg Off Roe	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but was instructed not to attack. The aircraft was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Benn (pilot) and Flying Officer Roe (navigator).
MM402	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	SB-A	Sqn Ldr W R C Sugden	Flg Off A N Bridger	Successfully took part in the Amiens raid, Operation Jericho, crewed by Squadron Leader W R C Sugden (pilot) and Flying Officer A N Bridger (navigator), returning to base safely.
MM403	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	SB-V	Sqn Ldr Tom McPhee	Flt Lt G W Atkins	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, crewed by Flight Lieutenant T McPhee (pilot) and Flight Lieutenant G W Atkins (navigator), returning safely to base after the mission.
MM404	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	SB-T	Sqn Ldr A Ian McRitchie	Flt Lt Richard Webb Sampson	Failed to return from the Operation Jericho raid on Amiens. Squadron Leader A Ian McRitchie (pilot) taken prisoner, Flight Lieutenant Richard Webb Sampson (navigator) killed.
MM410	Mosquito	No.464 Sqn	SB-O	Flg Off K L Monaghan	Flg Off A W Dean	Took part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid, crewed by Flying Officer K L Monaghan (pilot) and Flying Officer A W Dean (navigator), and returned to base safely.
JR133	Typhoon	No.174 Sqn		Flg Off E Reynaud	-	Took part in the Amiens prison raid, Operation Jericho, but failed to return. Flying Officer E Reynaud taken prisoner.
JP793	Typhoon	No.174 Sqn		Flt Sgt Henry Shaw Brown	-	Failed to return from Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid. Flight Sergeant Henry Shaw Brown killed.

 

The artwork.  

The precision strike on the prison has been depicted by several artists from several angles, but the paintings invariably focus on the moment the strike occurs.  Below are all the interpretations by artists available as prints.  The text in italics below each image is from promotional material for each print.

 

Image : Breakout : Amiens Raid by Mosquitoes by Ivan Berryman

When De Havilland built the prototype DH.98 Mosquito (E-0234) they did so as an act of the purest faith in their design since the Air Ministry had already dismissed the company's proposal for their all-wood aircraft as impractical and unworkable. However, when E-0234 first flew on 25th November 1940, it demonstrated remarkably smooth handling characteristics and its speed, as expected, was outstanding. Here at last was a bomber which, in a straight line, could outfly even the Spitfire, giving rise to such nicknames as Wooden Wonder and, succinctly The Aeroplane. With such an aircraft, it was soon realised, many new possibilities were laid open to the RAF, among them the chance to initiate precision raids whereupon carefully selected isolated targets could be attacked with pinpoint accuracy. Just such a raid took place on 18th February 1944, involving 18 Mosquitoes of Nos 64 and 487 Squadrons in an operation on the jail at Amiens, France, where a large number of the French Resistance were being held for questioning by the Gestapo. It was thought unlikely that any of them would survive their ordeal at the hands of their inquisitors and it was considered more sensible to try to aid their escape by breaching the prison walls, even if it meant that some of the prisoners might be killed in the process. An accurate model of the jail and the nearby town was constructed and each pilot viewed the model from eye level to familiarise themselves with the view that they would get from a planned height of 50 feet. With this knowledge and some carefully selected reference points such as church spires and chimneys, the Mosquitoes, led by Group Captain Charles Pickard, were able to brush over the rooftops of the town and deliver their bombs with incredible accuracy, breaching the prison walls in four places. 258 prisoners escaped in the ensuing chaos and were quickly spirited away by other Resistance groups who were waiting outside. Sadly, a number of French prisoners were killed in the raid and added to the losses of that day was Group Captain Pickard himself who fell victim to marauding Focke Wulf 190s, but the raid had been a tremendous success and further precision attacks using the most superb Mosquito were carried out throughout 1944 and 1945, each one making its own significant contribution to the downward turn in the fortunes of Hitlers Reich.

 

Image : Operation Jericho, The Jail Breakers by Gerald Coulson

 

Image : The Jericho Boys by Ivan Berryman

On 18th February 1944, nineteen De Havilland Mosquito Mk.VIs and one photo-reconnaissance aircraft took off on a mission to attempt to free 120 French patriots being held captive by the Nazis in the prison at Amiens. Codenamed Operation Jericho, the attack on the jail was to be carried out in up to three waves - the first to break the prison walls in two places, the second to bomb the main building and a third standing by, should either of the first two fail. The mission was a complete success despite some losses on the ground and two aircraft destroyed. Here, the iconic moment is captured as a pair of Mosquitoes of 487 Sqn are seen breaching the wall at 12.03 hours.

 

Image : Liberation from Amiens by Tim Fisher

This sortie was for the sole purpose of saving lives. The objective was to initiate a breakout of more than 700 French resistance workers from Amiens prison, many of whom were on their eve of execution by their Gestapo jailers. The De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk V1s of 464 and 487 Squadron of No 140 wing were to breach the outer walls and destroy certain key buildings within the compound. Absolute pin point precision was vital to reduce casualties amongst the French patriots. Three formations of six aircraft were formed, each crewed by the most experienced members of these squadrons. Low level runs at only fifteen feet were required to maintain bombing accuracy. The raid was the responsibility of Group Captain Percy Charles Pickard, DSO, DFC. The navigational plot was in the hands of Pickard's inseparable friend and navigator, Flight Lieutenant J A Bill Broadley. The operation took place on the 18th February 1944 in terrible weather, with heavy snow falling, sweeping in gusts and almost obscuring the runway. The first run took place along the Albert to Amiens road which can be seen in the foreground of the painting. Led by Wing Commander I S Black, the aircraft were flying so low they had to be flown at an angle to miss the trees lining the road. Bombs were placed with pin point accuracy, breaching the walls in places and setting fire to the main building. The second attack at right angles to the first across barren open fields was led by Wing Commander R W Bob Iredale followed by the Australians of 464 Squadron. The target being the second phase demolition of the guards annex. The painting shows Iredale in the foreground with his navigator Flt. Lt. McCaul, followed closely by Sqn Ldr Sugden and navigator Fg Off Bridger. In the background, coming up rapidly at a height of fifteen feet is Fg Off Monaghan, DFM and his navigator Flg Off Dean DFM. These two attacks were so successful, that streams of prisoners managed to escape. Further bombing runs were deemed unnecessary and 21 Squadron returned to base.