Operation Oyster

Operation Oyster
Part of the Second World War
Bostons fly past the burning Philips Emmasingel plant during the Eindhoven raid
Date 6 December 1942 Location Eindhoven, Netherlands Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
James Pelly-Fry
Strength
93 light bombers 47 Venturas 36 Bostons 10 Mosquitos
Casualties and losses
62 aircrew 15 aircraft lost 57 damaged	1 Fw 190 (against a diversion) 7 killed
Around 150 civilians killed Philips Works suffered significant damage.

Operation Oyster was a bombing raid made by the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 6 December 1942 upon the Philips works at Eindhoven, Netherlands. The Philips company was a major producer of electronics equipment, including vacuum tubes for radio communication. Prior to the Battle of the Netherlands in 1940, Philips was known to be a leading research firm in infrared and radar technology. To ensure accuracy and minimise casualties among the Dutch citizens, the raid had to be undertaken during the day.

Eindhoven was beyond the range of the fighter escort and the four-engined night bombers that made up the bulk of RAF Bomber Command were considered to be too vulnerable for the attack. No. 2 Group RAF which contained the medium day bombers of the RAF were selected for the raid. To improve their chance of survival, diversionary raids were organised to mislead the German defenders. Almost all of 2 Group was committed to the raid and it was the largest and most successful operation by the group of the war.