bombing

Mar

10

1942

First Lancaster bombing raid

Avro Lancaster B Mark I, L7578 ‘KM-B’, flown by Squadron Leader J D Nettleton of No. 44 Squadron RAF, about to cross the western perimeter of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, with bomb doors open during a Squadron practice for the low-level attack on the M.A.N. diesel engineering works at Augsburg, which took place on 17 April 1942. Ermine Street (A607) can be seen on the extreme right running south towards Coleby.

The principal target on three nights was Krupps’ Works at Essen, a total of 336 aircraft dropping 397 tons of H.E. bombs (including 37 of 4,000 lbs.) and nearly 78,000 incendiaries. Our bombers included Lancasters, which were taking part for the first time in offensive operations. Fifteen of our aircraft
are missing.

Mar

3

1942

The RAF’s largest bombing raid so far – on Paris

Annotated vertical taken during the major night raid on the Renault works at Boulogne-Billancourt, west of the centre of Paris. The largest number of aircraft sent to a single target so far - 235 - were despatched, dropping a record tonnage of bombs. A significant development was the mass use of flares to illuminate the target ('1' and '2'). Smoke and flame from exploding bombs can be seen on the factory ('3'), and also on the Ile St Germain ('4' and '5'). Only one aircraft, a Vickers Wellington, was lost during the raid, which was judged to be a great success.

The Renault factory, in the town of Boulogne-Billancourt just west of the centre of Paris, was making an estimated 18,000 lorries a year for the German forces. 235 aircraft – 89 Wellingtons, 48 Hampdens, 29 Stirlings, 26 Manchesters, 23 Whitleys, 20 Halifaxes – were dispatched in 3 waves, the crews of the leading wave being selected for their experience.

Feb

19

1942

‘Australia’s Pearl Harbour’ – the bombing of Darwin

At about 1045, Peary was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, and was struck by five bombs. The first bomb exploded on the fantail, the second, an incendiary, on the galley deck house; the third did not explode; the fourth hit forward and set off the forward ammunition magazines; the fifth, another incendiary, exploded in the after engine room. A .30 caliber machine gun on the after deck house and a .50 caliber machine gun on the galley deck house fired until the last enemy plane flew away. Peary suffered 88 men killed and 13 wounded; she sank stern first at about 1300 on 19 February 1942.

After all the noise had gone and everything was quiet it was great fun talking about how we felt while the raid was on. Well, I for one had the wind up properly, but after it was over I was fine again but while it was on I hugged the ground pretty close.

Jan

13

1942

Daylight raid on Lowestoft kills 63

Clearing up the remains of Wallers department store in Lowestoft on the morning after a lone bomber had attacked the east coast town.

One of the worst raids on Lowestoft took place on the afternoon of 13 January 1942 the day before we were to return to school after the Christmas holiday. Some of our pupils were having tea in a café when four explosive bombs were dropped on the main shopping centre. Three of our pupils were killed including a friend from my class. It was a sad beginning to the term.

Dec

18

1941

Daylight raid on the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau

Halifax bombers from No. 35 Squadron over Brest on 18th December 1941 in an attempt to knock out the two German 'pocket battleships', the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau

Heavy flak burst observed under port wing by other aircraft in formation. Aircraft repeatedly hit. Port inner engine failed immediately after leaving target, feathered with difficulty. Shortly afterwards starboard outer engine failed and at 1241 hrs a Glycol leak developed in the same eingine, followed by a small fire and flames were observed in the cowling. The same engine totally failed about 1250 hrs.

Oct

12

1941

Only a few incidents of bombing this week

Clearing up after a relatively random bombing raid hit Bolton on the 12th october 1941.

Apart from slight interference with railway and utility services, damage has been confined to private property. The most serious incidents occurred on the night of the 12th/13th, when several houses were demolished in Manchester, Clayton, Denton and Oldham. Casualties for the week ending 0600 the 15th October are estimated at 61 killed and 69 seriously injured.

Oct

2

1941

South Shields bombed

The remains of the Woolworths Store, South Shields bombed on 2nd October 1941

Last night’s do was much worse than Tuesday’s. St Bede’s junior school (South Shields) got a direct hit, Laygate school is also wrecked, Croftons, Woolworths and Black’s Regal are done for and Binns is badly damaged. The patrons of Black’s Regal rushed to the public shelter in the market place and shortly afterwards the shelter got a direct hit. I was told there were 80 killed in there alone….. One of the jerries shot down three barrage balloons. He got the three in line and pumped tracer bullets into them.

Sep

18

1941

Siege of Leningrad consolidated

Nurses helping people hit during the first bombardment of Leningrad.

Petersburg — the poisonous nest from which, for so long, Asiatic venom has spewed forth into the Baltic — must vanish from the earth’s surface. The city is already cut off. It only remains for us to bomb and bombard it, destroy its sources of water and power and then deny the population everything it needs to survive.

Aug

30

1941

Optimism over RAF Bomber Offensive

The RAF had stepped up attacks on the continent. But accurate daylight bombing came at a cost - the attack on Rotterdam on the 28th saw seven out of eighteen Bleinheims shot down.

For the last three months our bombing offensive has been mainly directed against transportation and morale in Western Germany. Some of the most important objectives in the system of communications serving the Ruhr and Rhineland are precision targets which can only be attacked under favourable weather conditions on moonlight nights, and, since the offensive started, the number of suitable nights has been very small indeed.

Aug

12

1941

Intense RAF daylight bombing raids on Germany

The view from a Blenheim bomber as it finishes its bomb run over the other Cologne power station with bombs exploding on target.

Blenheims, flying close to the ground, located and attacked, under favourable weather conditions, the two power stations at Cologne. From reports received, both power stations appear to have been severely damaged in most determined attacks ; 24 tons of bombs were dropped on the turbine and boiler houses and the targets were left with fires blazing.

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