Oslo Mosquito raid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oslo Mosquito raid
Part of Second World War
A No. 105 Squadron Mosquito B Mark IV in 1942
Date 25 September 1942 Location Oslo, Norway Result Operational failure
Belligerents
Royal Air Force	Gestapo
Strength
4 bombers	Various anti-aircraft defences, 2 x Fw 190
Casualties and losses
1 aircraft destroyed
80 Norwegian civilians killed or wounded

The Oslo Mosquito raid happened on September 25, 1942, during World War II. It was a surprise attack by British planes on Oslo, Norway. The main target was the Victoria Terrasse building. This building was the headquarters for the Gestapo, which was Germany's secret police.

The raid aimed to boost the spirits of the Norwegian people. It was planned to happen at the same time as a meeting of Norwegians who worked with the German forces. This meeting was led by Vidkun Quisling. The raid also became famous because the Royal Air Force (RAF) used it to show off a new plane. The next day, the BBC Home Service told the British public about the amazing new Mosquito aircraft.

Preparing for the Attack

The mission was carried out by four special planes called de Havilland Mosquito aircraft. These planes belonged to No. 105 Squadron RAF. Squadron Leader George Parry led the group, with Flying Officer "Robbie" Robson as his navigator.

The other three plane crews were:

• Flight Lieutenant Pete Rowland and Flying Officer Richard Reilly
• Flying Officer Alec Bristow and Pilot Officer Bernard Marshall
• Flight Sergeant Gordon Carter and Sergeant William Young

To make the trip shorter, the four planes first flew to RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland. There, they refuelled and were loaded with four bombs each. These bombs weighed 500-pound (230 kg) and were designed to explode a few seconds after hitting.

The Mission Begins

This mission was very long for the Mosquito planes. It was a round trip of about 1,100 miles (1,800 km), taking nearly five hours to fly. The bombers flew very low, less than 100 ft (30 m) above the North Sea. They did this to avoid being spotted by enemy planes. They navigated using a method called dead reckoning, which means they estimated their position based on their speed and direction.

Each plane carried four 500-pound (230 kg) bombs. These bombs had a special 11-second delay before exploding. This delay was important because the planes were flying so low. It gave the planes time to get away before their own bombs exploded and caused damage.

Facing the Enemy

Even though they flew very low, the Mosquitos were spotted. Two Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter planes from a German group called 3/JG 5 attacked them. These German fighters had taken off from Stavanger.

One of the German fighters caused Gordon Carter's Mosquito to crash-land in Oslofjord. The other Fw 190 chased Rowland and Reilly. But the German plane hit a tree and had to stop its attack.

At least four bombs hit the Gestapo headquarters. One bomb did not explode. The other three went through the building and exploded outside. The building was not destroyed, but some nearby homes were. Sadly, 80 Norwegian civilians were hurt or killed. The Norwegian government in exile, which did not know about the raid, later told the British government they were very worried. The German forces in Norway said that several British planes were shot down. But only one Mosquito was actually lost.

What Happened Next

Even though the raid did not destroy its main target, it was still seen as a big event. It was dramatic enough to be used to tell the British public about the new Mosquito plane. The very next day, September 26, listeners to the BBC Home Service learned about this amazing new aircraft. They heard that four Mosquitos had attacked Oslo at a very low level.

The Mosquito bomber was also featured in The Times newspaper on September 28. The next day, the newspaper showed two pictures with captions. These pictures showed where the bombs hit in Oslo and the damage they caused.

More Raids Like This

• Aarhus Air Raid: A similar attack on Gestapo headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark.
• Operation Carthage: Another similar attack on Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. This raid sadly caused 125 civilian deaths because bombs hit the wrong targets.
• Operation Jericho: A similar attack on Amiens Prison in France.