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 With
the incredible amount of Bombing missions being carried out,
the words of Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris were coming
true ”They would reap the Whirlwind” …This “whirlwind” of
incessant day and night bombing raids being inflicted upon German
cities did eventually raze many to the ground, killing thousands,
and destroying everything. The R.A.F and the USAAF Air Chiefs
were more determined than ever to continue the relentless “Whirlwind” of
bombing raids without let-up, they would Bomb Germany into submission. |
In
April 1944, Captain Ian Ross and his crew left 57 Squadron,
and joined the famous 617 “Dam Busters” Squadron
at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, where they were to stay for
the remainder
of their service.
The confidence
that Bomber Command now displayed was realising that
the massive 1,000 bomber raids did lower the morale and hope
of the German people, they had to accept and face severe
adversity as their cities became flaming pyres.
With their
new bomber offensives called “Operation Thunderclap” these
attacks would create a cataclysmic effect on the cities of Germany. |
Motto: "Aprés
moi, le deluge"
("After me, the flood"). |
Hamburg
Marshalling Yards after
a bombing raid. |
The bomber crews evolved new skills and techniques called “Over-shoot”,
an attack on the city of Darmstadt on September 11th 1944, proved
just how much devastation was caused, aircraft would approach
targets from seven different angles and release their bomb loads
at different set timings beyond the markers set by the Pathfinder
squadrons, thus the “Over-shoot” caused tremendous
devastation as fires engulfed the city, the destruction was spread
further than by ordinary bombing methods. Later these destructive
attacks would be delivered to many cities of the Reich. |
| The
Hammer Blow |
With the “Hammer
Blow” destruction of their cities came the loss of
water and electricity supplies, heating their homes was practically
impossible, all transport such as trams, trains, buses, and
cars were halted, clothing and footwear was rare especially
in winter, medicines became impossible to obtain as hospitals
would only treat injured soldiers from the front line, food
became very scarce as towards the last months and days of
the war people became so desperate for food that they resorted
to eating horses, and whatever they could find.
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Damage
to Nazi occupied factories after
a heavy bombing raid. |
The
German people on average had only 900 calories per day
to sustain
them … such was the glorious Nazi Third Reich…the
retribution had now begun!!!
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| All
these deprivations and hard ships prolonged the agony and misery
for the German nation, but in their defiance of not surrendering
the bombing would without fail continue.
How true were the words now spoken by Sir Arthur
Harris “The Writing is on the Wall for the German nation
and the Third Reich”. The massive bombing raids continued
to destroy and devastate the cities of the enemy.
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