Operation Hurricane (1944)

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The Operation Hurricane was of a series of strategic bombing RAF Bomber Command on 14 and 15 October 1944, the main objective of Duisburg , perform, conducted with the aim of the German population, "the overwhelming superiority of the Allied air forces." The two attacks on Duisburg are (after the bombing mass) the most serious of the war against a German city within a day.

Order of October 13, 1944

On October 13th, the RAF Bomber Command received the instruction to conduct "Operation Hurricane". The purpose of this operation was to demonstrate the destructive power of the Allied bomber forces and to demonstrate their air superiority. The instruction contained the following passage:

“In order to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany generally the overwhelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces in this theater [...] the intention is to apply within the shortest practical period the maximum effort of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command and the 8th United States Bomber Command against objectives in the densely populated Ruhr. "

“In order to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany in general the overwhelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces in this theater of war [...] it is intended that the Royal Air Force Bomber Command as well as the 8th United States Bomber Command should make a maximum effort against them in the shortest possible time To undertake goals in the densely populated Ruhr area. "

The 8th Air Force was not directly involved, but carried out accompanying attacks.

aims

On October 15, 1944, a Lancaster drops tinfoil strips for radar deception (left) or incendiary bombs and an aerial mine (right) on Duisburg.

The cities of Duisburg , Cologne , Braunschweig , Hamburg and Düsseldorf were hit. Duisburg was the main target for the RAF and was attacked both on October 14th and the following night. Because of the concentrated attack, the city suffered heavy civilian casualties (over 2,500 casualties) and caused enormous property damage.

The RAF continued u. a. Large Tallboy bombs were launched against the Sorpe Dam , which was hit but not destroyed.

Braunschweig, which was attacked by 240 RAF aircraft on the night of October 14th to 15th, suffered the worst damage during the entire war. The attacks by the 8th Air Force were primarily aimed at the city of Cologne, where large-scale destruction was also the result.

During the 24 hours of Operation Hurricane, the RAF dropped approximately 10,000 tons of bombs, the highest bomb load dropped in a 24 hour period in the entire Second World War.

See also

literature

  • Harald Molder, Melanie Patten: Operation Hurricane: Duisburg horror days from October 14th to 15th, 1944 in the bombing war. Klartext Verlag, Essen 2004, ISBN 3-89861-369-0 .

Web links