We've got a winner!
You're right, Martin, Denys 'Kill 'em' Gillam commanded 146 Wing on the raid on the Amsterdam SD offices on 26 november 1944. As stated, two groups of planes flew diversive sorties to Amsterdam Harbour and Schiphol airfield in order to draw the Flak away from the main force. The third group, led by Gillam, went straight for the SD office. Besides the building itself, several nearby houses were hit as well, resulting in the death of 56 civilians. The SD lost 4 men.
The Dutch underground requested this raid, in the hope the SD would be hit when they were on their lunch-break and kill as many of them as possible. The Dutch Government rep. in London that was to OK the raid did so when Gillam said it would be 'a piece of cake'. The rep. Ok'ed the mission but insisted that it would be conducted on a sunday.
The SD building became unusable and another building on the nearby Apollolaan was taken over by the SD.
I have been collecting data on this for a while, together with some other raids on Amsterdam.
I hope in the not too distant future to post some short stories on these raids here...
Over to you, Martin...Hit me!
