3 Group Bomber Command by Chris Ward

Author:Chris Ward [Ward, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Aviation, Bisac Code 1: HIS027140
ISBN: 9781844687350
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2009-04-20T21:00:00+00:00

1945

Juggernaut; Thunderclap; victory

The New Year began with a bang, as the Luftwaffe launched its ill-conceived and ultimately ill-fated Operation Bodenplatte at first light on the 1st of January. The intention, to destroy elements of the Allied air forces on the ground at the recently liberated airfields of France, Holland and Belgium, was only modestly realized, and the cost in front-line fighters was around 250, and more critically, around 150 pilots were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. This was a setback from which the Luftwaffe’s day-fighter force would never fully recover, although enemy nightfighters would continue to take a toll of RAF bombers, even if not on the former scale. Inevitably, Operation Bodenplatte created itchy fingers among the American flak crews in the liberated territories, and any aircraft coming within range over the ensuing twenty-four hours were likely to receive a hot reception, irrespective of their nationality. Bomber Command operations went on throughout the day, and it was late afternoon when 152 Lancasters of 3 Group took off to return to the railway yards at Vohwinkel. The attack was successful, but on the way home over Namur in Belgium a number of aircraft were hit by American flak, and 115 Squadron’s NG332 plunged to earth before S/L Miles and the other seven occupants could take to their parachutes. W/C Newton had been in the van of a twenty-one-strong contingent of 75 (NZ) Squadron Lancasters in ME321. It failed to return, having crashed in Holland, and he was killed along with the other seven men on board. He was replaced a few days later by the youthful W/C Baigent DFC*, who would see the squadron through to the end of hostilities. Born in 1923 he had earned his DFC with XV Squadron and the Bar with 115 Squadron. The Group contributed to a devastating raid on Nuremberg in company with 1, 6 and 8 Groups on the 2/3rd. Benzol plants at Dortmund and Castrop-Rauxel followed by daylight on the 3rd, and railway yards at Ludwigshafen on the 5th. An attack with 1 Group on the railway yards at Neuss on the 6/7th resulted in over 1,700 houses, nineteen industrial premises and twenty public buildings being destroyed or seriously damaged. The last major raid on Munich was mounted by 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 Groups on the 7/8th, then 3 Group went alone to railway yards at Krefeld on the 11th, and left severe damage in that part of the town. Saarbrücken came next on the 13th, and this attack, too, appeared to be effective. Even so, 4, 6 and 8 Groups had another crack at it that night, and 3 Group returned on the 14th. Small-scale G-H raids on benzol plants at Bochum and Langendreer took place through complete cloud cover on the 15th, and similar conditions prevailed at Wanne-Eickel on the 16/17th, so that neither operation could be assessed. 1 and 3 Groups acted as the main force at Duisburg on the 22nd/23rd, for which 149 Squadron put up eleven

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