Thirteen Spitfire squadrons from 11 Group, Fighter Command, were to fly Rodeo 212 to Vlissingen (Flushing), 78 mi (126 km) to the south-west of Amsterdam, as another diversion.

The Venturas of 487 Squadron got ahead of most of their escort and met an unexpectedly large number of German fighters, the local contingent having, by coincidence, been temporarily reinforced.

Trent was awarded a Victoria Cross and his navigator, Flight Lieutenant Vivian Phillips, received a Distinguished Service Order.

Flying at higher altitude and taking a longer route to avoid neutral territory, the Wellingtons were easier to detect by German radar.

[3][4] The extent of the loss "stunned" RAF leaders, exploding their belief that tight formations of bombers, equipped with machine-gun turrets, could defeat attack by day fighters.

The Fairey Battle and Blenheim light day bombers of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France and 2 Group in England also devoted considerable time to night-flying training.

The objective of the operations was to attack ground targets, destroy any Luftwaffe fighters which opposed the raids and keep them in Western Europe.

[14] By late January 1942, Luftwaffe transfers of day fighters and anti-aircraft units had been identified by the British and Ultra decryption of German signals coded with the Enigma machine uncovered the transfer of 30 of the newest German fighter type to the Russian front and 40 from the Pas de Calais to northern Norway for anti-convoy operations.

The offensive continued at a lesser rate, to tie down Fw 190 units and to maintain a measure of air superiority along the Channel coast, until the maximum effort during the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942).

On 2 May, 107 Squadron attacked the Koninklijke Hoogovens (Royal Blast Furnaces) steelworks at IJmuiden on the coast, missed the works but hit barges and dock installations nearby.

[17] Ramrod 16 was another attempt on the IJmuiden steelworks by six Boston IIIAs with a diversion provided by twelve Ventura Mk II bombers of 487 Squadron (Royal New Zealand Air Force, RNZAF) on 3 May.

[17][d] In bright blue skies, sunshine and a warm day, the fourteen crews of 487 Squadron were briefed for the raid at RAF Methwold their base in Norfolk.

[27] The bombers were to fly at 190 kn (350 km/h; 220 mph) Indicated airspeed (IAS) for 33 minutes across the North Sea, keeping below German radar until they were ten minutes from the Dutch coast, then perform a battle climb (fast and steep) at 165 kn (306 km/h; 190 mph) to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) and head straight for the target, to retain a degree of surprise.

Thirteen fighter squadrons from 11 Group were to fly Rodeo 212 towards Vlissingen (Flushing) on the island of Walcheren to the south-west as a diversion.

A Luftwaffe conference was scheduled for that day at Schiphol airfield near Amsterdam and a great number of experienced fighter pilots were in attendance from other parts of the Western Front.

[26][f] The second vic, attacking through intense FlaK released their bombs and hit the steel works, turned for home and ran into the German fighters, which shot down BZ227, the Boston flown by Flight Sergeant F. S. Harrop in flames; the other two Bostons escaped, noting a Ventura coming down in the water, apparently lost with all hands.

[37] Over the coast more than twenty German fighters from the three Staffeln of II./JG 1 fell on 504 and 167 squadrons of the close escort as thirty more headed for the Venturas.

[38] The Ventura flown by Duffill was one of the first to be hit; cannon-fire destroyed the hydraulics, set both engines alight and seriously wounded the two gunners, after one had claimed a fighter.

Attacked by German fighters until well out over the North Sea, Duffill managed to keep the Ventura airborne and the navigator jettisoned the bombs.

The fires died down and Duffill reached Methwold to land safely (the gunners were rushed to Ely Hospital and the crew was awarded immediate decorations).

Foster dived to avoid the German fighters but the ammunition containers for his forward-firing guns began to explode and blew the nose off.

Foster cleared the ships but his controls were damaged and he could barely keep the Ventura in the air as he re-crossed the Dutch coast.

One of the German fighters overshot the Venturas and crossed in front Trent, giving him a chance to fire at it with his fixed twin .303 in (7.7 mm) nose guns.

Pressing on to the target, Trent released his bombs and turned for home but as he did so his aircraft was hit again, went into a sharp spin and broke apart.

Perryman's, Andy Coutt's, Tom Baynton's, Foster's, MacGowans, Terry Taylor, Len Richbell, Stanley Coshall, Rupert North and so many others.

On 28 May the King, George VI, came to RAF Methwold to pay his respects and meet fourteen crews from each squadron on the base.

[47][48] After his capture, Trent took part in the mass escape by tunnel from Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Lower Silesia in Germany, in March 1944.

[49] After being repatriated and returning to 487 Squadron, Trent reported, As we approached Amsterdam the anti-aircraft guns joined the fighters in a race to see who would get us first.

[44]For their actions on Ramrod 16, Trent was awarded a Victoria Cross at an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 12 April 1946 and Phillips was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

Following the war Trent spent a short amount of time in the New Zealand Air Force before returning to the RAF, where he completed his career, reaching the rank of Group Captain.