Bombing of Duisburg in World War II
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| Bombing of Duisburg during World War II | |||||
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| Part of Strategic bombing during World War II | |||||
 "Window" (left) and 14-kilogram (30 lb) incendiaries and a blockbuster bomb (right) dropped from an ABC- radio jammer equipped Avro Lancaster over Duisburg in 1944 | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
 United Kingdom United States |
 Germany | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| 229 bombing raids | |||||
Duisburg was bombed a number of times by the Allies during World War II. The most devastating air raids on Duisburg occurred during October 1944 when the city was bombed by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Duisburg was a major logistical centre in the Ruhr Area and location of chemical, steel and iron industries, Duisburg was a primary target of Allied bombers. Not only the industrial areas but also residential areas were attacked by Allied bombs. As an entry to the Ruhr, the city received daily warnings of bombing raids in 1943.
In the period 1939 to 1945 the Royal Air Force dropped a total of 30,507 tonnes (67 million pounds) of bombs on Duisburg.[1]
Battle of the Ruhr
[edit]During the "Battle of the Ruhr" in 1943, 577 British bombers destroyed the old city on 12/13 May, with 1,574 long tons; 1,763 short tons (1,599 t) of bombs: 96,000 people were made homeless.
Operation Hurricane
[edit]In October 1944, Duisburg became the main target in Operation Hurricane a joint RAF Bomber Command and USAAF Eighth Air Force operation.[2]
On 14 October 1944 just after daybreak, RAF Bomber Command sent "1,013 aircraft ... to [bomb] Duisburg with RAF fighters providing an escort. 957 bombers dropped [... 3,574 long tons (3,631 t)] of high explosive and [... 820 long tons (830 t)] of incendiaries on" the city for a loss of 14 aircraft.[2] The same day the Eighth Air Force sent 1,251 heavy bombers escorted by 749 fighters to bomb targets in the area of Cologne. Later the same day, during the night of 14 October/15 October, 1,005 RAF bombers returned to Duisburg in two waves about two hours apart, and dropped a further 4,100 t (4,040 long tons) of high explosive and 490 long tons (500 t) of incendiaries for the loss of seven aircraft. The same night a further 230 aircraft destroyed Brunswick.
During Operation Hurricane nearly 8,900 long tons (9,000 t) of bombs fell on Duisburg in less than 24 hours, but the damage to Duisburg is difficult to assess because much of the documentation including the final report (Endbericht), is not held by the Duisburg state archive (Stadtarchiv).[2] Extant records mention "Very serious property damage. A large number of people buried." and that at the Thyssen Mines III and IV eight days production was lost.
Chronology
[edit]| Date | Air Force | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12/13 June 1941 | RAF Bomber Command 
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438 long tons (445 t) of bombs dropped.[3][failed verification] |
| 5/6 April 1942 | RAF Bomber Command
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263 aircraft.[4] |
| 20/21 December 1942 | RAF Bomber Command
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232 aircraft. "The bombing force found that the target area was clear and claimed much damage."[5] |
| 26/27 March 1943 | RAF Bomber Command
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a "widely scattered raid" by 455 aircraft during the Battle of the Ruhr due to cloud cover and lack of Oboe marking[6] |
| 12/13 May 1943 | RAF Bomber Command
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With good marking and the Main Force delivering concentrated bombing, 577 bombers[7] destroy the old city with 1,574 long tons (1,599 t) of bombs: 96,000 people are made homeless. |
| 23 November 1944 | U.S. Eighth Air Force | Over 140 B-17s escorted by 2 fighter groups bombed the benzol manufacturing plant near Gelsenkirchen and Marshalling Yards at Duisburg.[8] |
| 14/15 October 1944 | RAF Bomber Command
|
During the morning, 957 Operation Hurricane bombers dropped 3,518 long tons (3,574 t) of high explosive and 820 tonnes of incendiaries. In the subsequent night raid, 1,005 bombers in 2 waves about 2 hours apart, dropped a further 3,980 long tons (4,040 t) of high explosive and 490 long tons (500 t) of incendiaries.[2] |
| 5 March 1945 | U.S. Ninth Air Force | Among other missions over German the Ninth flew armed reconnaissance sorties over the Hamm-Duisburg area.[9] |
| 12 April 1945 | U.S. Ninth Air Force | Fighters of the Ninth the supported the XVI Corps as it continued fighting in the Duisburg and Dortmund areas during the destruction of the German armies of Army Group B surrounded and contained in the Ruhr pocket[10] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "bomber command | mines laid | flight august | 1945 | 1571 | Flight Archive". www.flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d October 1944. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131327997. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ May–August 1941. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131336991. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ April 1942. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131329217. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ December 1942. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131329091. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ March 1943. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131336096. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ May 1943. Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force. 6 April 2005. Wikidata Q131335316. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ Carter & Mueller 1991, p. 550.
- ^ Carter & Mueller 1991, p. 638.
- ^ Carter & Mueller 1991, p. 673.
Bibliography
[edit]
- Bomber Command Campaign Diary, Bomber Command 60th Anniversary, Royal Air Force, 6 April 2005, Wikidata Q131324214, archived from the original on 6 July 2007, retrieved 26 November 2024
- Kit C. Carter; Robert Mueller (1991) [1973], Combat Chronology 1941–1945, The Army Air Forces in World War II, Washington, D.C.: Center for Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-68-4, LCCN 92115046, OCLC 231661533, OL 8320961M, Wikidata Q131293822, retrieved 20 November 2024
Further reading
[edit]- Cooper, M. (1981). The German Air Force 1933–1945: An Anatomy of Failure. London: Jane's. ISBN 07106-0071-2.
- Middlebrook, Martin; Everitt, Chris (1985). The Bomber Command Diaries: An Operational Reference Book, 1939–1945 (1st ed.). New York: Viking. ISBN 978-185780-033-3.
- Tooze, Adam (2006). The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy. London: Allen Lane. ISBN 978-0-7139-9566-4.
- Webster, C. K.; Frankland, Noble (1961). Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany: 1939–1945. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. II. London: HMSO. OCLC 163349860.
- Webster, C.; Frankland, N. (2006) [1961]. Butler, James (ed.). The Strategic Air Offensive against Germany 1939–1945: Annexes and Appendices. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. IV (facs. pbk. repr. Naval & Military Press, Uckfield ed.). London: HMSO. ISBN 978-1-84574-350-5.