Prison Busting

Operation JERICHO, 18 February 1944, was a daring low-level raid on Amiens Prison in Northern France.

Operation JERICHO was the result of collaborative work between the RAF and the French Resistance. The objective was to release Resistance and political prisoners from Amiens Gaol, many of whom were shortly to be executed.

Battling blizzard conditions a force of Mosquito bombers approached the prison at treetop height. Surprising the enemy, they successfully breached the prison walls and destroyed part of the main building. Although 102 prisoners died in the raid, a further 258 escaped including several who had knowledge of the forthcoming D-Day operations.