World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF GERMANY: One Alone

Berlin’s sirens wailed their third warning that night. Weary, frightened and hurt, Berliners scurried back to their shelters, listened fearfully. Most of them heard nothing but anti-aircraft gunfire.

Cause of the third alert: C (for Charlie) 2, a lone Lancaster bomber, lost in dense clouds, shoved around by tricky winds, arrived after the rest of the R.A.F. had gone home. Untouched, C2 got bombs away, headed for England.

Anti-aircraft fire on the return route knocked out two engines, radio equipment. C2 limped across the Channel, bellyflopped, brought seven sergeants safely home.