The attacking RAF aircraft reached the target at one minute past noon. Three of the 487 Squadron attackers aimed their delayed action-fused bombs for the eastern and northern walls of the prison. Two more 487 Squadron Mosquitos made a diversionary attack on the local railway station. The outer walls of the prison were breached but timing necessitated 464 Squadron Mosquitos to circle until the bombs detonated.
Two bombers from 464 Squadron attacked it from extremely low altitude but observers did not see any new damage to the prison after their bombs detonated. Two 464 Squadron Mosquitos bombed the main building as planned, damaging it sufficiently to allow prisoners to exit the building. 487 Squadron bombers scored a direct hit on the guardhouse, which killed or disabled the occupants, and a number of prisoners were killed or wounded, but many of them were able to escape. Pickard observed prisoners escaping and signaled the 21 Squadron Mosquitos to return to RAF Hunsdon. As Pickard started back toward home he and his navigator, Flight Lieutenant John Alan Broadley, were shot down and killed by a Luftwaffe Fw 190.
A total of 255 prisoners escaped, though 182 were recaptured. The diversionary attack on the railway station delayed the arrival reinforcing German troops at the prison by a little more than two hours. RAF losses amounted to three Mosquito bombers and two Typhoon fighters shot down.
Some controversy has persisted over the years about the raid and the necessity for it. In fact, the British have never been able to adequately explain exactly who ordered Operation Jericho. Many of the prisoners who did escape were recaptured and about 100 prisoners were executed by the Germans as “reprisals” for the raid.
Operation Jericho was portrayed in two movies during the 1960s. In the first, 633 Squadron (1964), a resistance leader is captured and imprisoned. The movie Mosquitos raid the prison to silence him, rather than have their important operational plans revealed- presumably by aggressive interrogation by the Germans. The mission in the movie is loosely based on the Amiens Prison raid.
In the second movie, Mosquito Squadron (1969), the Amiens Prison raid is the main story dramatically depicted in the film.
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