Percy Pickard

Group Captain Percy Charles 'Pick' Pickard was a prominent figure in the Royal Air Force, known to the British public for his role in the 1941 propaganda film 'Target for Tonight.' By 1944, he was a highly experienced commander tasked with leading the 2nd Tactical Air Force's No. 140 Wing, specializing in low-level precision attacks using the de Havilland Mosquito.

Born in Sheffield, England, in 1915, Pickard joined the Royal Air Force in 1937. He quickly established himself as a skilled pilot and leader, eventually commanding several squadrons throughout the early years of the war.

By early 1944, British intelligence received reports that the Gestapo was holding hundreds of French Resistance fighters at Amiens Prison, with 100 prisoners scheduled for execution on 19 February. The RAF was tasked with a high-risk, low-level mission to destroy the prison walls and guard quarters to facilitate an escape.

On 18 February 1944, Pickard led a formation of 18 Mosquito fighter-bombers toward Amiens. Flying at extremely low altitudes, the aircraft dropped time-delay bombs to breach the prison walls and destroy the guards' barracks. The raid successfully blew open the prison doors, allowing 258 inmates to escape, though 102 prisoners were killed in the process.

The defining moment of the mission was the precision strike on the prison walls, which required the pilots to fly at heights as low as 60 feet to ensure accuracy. Pickard's aircraft was shot down during the operation, resulting in his death.

The raid is remembered as a controversial but successful rescue mission. While it resulted in the loss of Pickard and other aircrew, it provided a significant morale boost to the French Resistance and saved dozens of key operatives from execution.

Because Percy Pickard died during the Operation Jericho raid, he did not live to see the end of the war. He was buried near the crash site in France. His bravery during the mission earned him great respect from the French people he helped save.

Operation Jericho remains a landmark example of precision aerial warfare. It demonstrated the capability of the de Havilland Mosquito to conduct surgical strikes in occupied territory, highlighting the risks commanders took to support resistance movements.

1. [T2] BBC — "Fact File: Amiens Prison Raid" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1135199.shtml), accessed 2026-09-30
2. [T3] War History Online — "Operation Jericho - A Rescue Mission Which Turned Into A Bloodbath" (https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/operation-jericho.html), accessed 2026-09-30
3. [T4] Wikipedia — "Percy Pickard" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Pickard), accessed 2026-09-30