On the anniversary of Operation Hurricane Marc Hall revisits the events of 14–15 October 1944, when RAF Bomber Command unleashed an unprecedented 24-hour assault on the German city of Duisburg.
On the chilly autumnal morning of 14 October 1944, in the early hours, Royal Air Force Bomber Command bases across Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas sprung into life. Hundreds of crews had been briefed for 'Operation Hurricane', and the first of two raids to the same main target within a 24-hour period. Other smaller raids would also form part of the operation. Commander-in-Chief Sir Arthur Harris' airmen would fly a 'maximum effort' with almost every operational bomber put into the air to deliver a knock-out blow to the primary target of Duisburg. The sheer scale of such a heavy raid had rarely been seen before, involving multiple crews flying two trips in the same day.
Duisburg, in the industrial area of the Ruhr, housed many important factories and other facilities associated with the German war effort. Strategically it was a significant target, heavily defended, surrounded with deep belts of anti-aircraft artillery and searchlights. A formidable objective in what the bomber crew ironically called 'happy valley'.
Operation Hurricane was designed to focus on those parts of the city that had been, to date, relatively unscathed. This included its benzol and synthetic oil plants, and transport networks – with the bombing not just a demonstration of Allied might, but also to assist the advance of the ground forces steadily fighting their way eastwards. The basic objective was: '… to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany generally the overwhelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces in this theatre.... 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.'
The planners believed that the raids would not only cause significant damage but also damage morale to the point of collapse – a malaise that would then spread throughout the country. The attack on Duisburg was to be followed by US-led raids on other targets including Cologne, alongside a series of diversionary and nuisance raids on Brunswick and Berlin. Fighter escorts were also released to attack targets of opportunity on their return journey to add to the chaos and destruction.
(Flying Officer Tibbs' No. 101 Squadron Lancaster releases it's load over Duisburg, Germany, 14/15 October 1944.)
The initial attack upon Duisburg opened at approximately 0840 hours on the morning of the 14 October. The air raid sirens wailed, and for many miles, the white vapour trails could be seen heading towards the city through broken cloud. Unusually, the RAF were flying in daylight but were hampered by poor weather. Over the target area thick cloud led to scattered bombing. Nevertheless, with some 3,574 tons of bombs and 820 tons of incendiaries falling, the city was set ablaze, and the damage significant. Raging fires were reported around the docks and large plumes of smoke were observed by crews. Flak, however, was heavy, and fourteen RAF bombers were lost.
On the raid BBC reporter Richard Dimbleby had flown with a Wing Commander Maurice Stockdale: 'I think that not only in the smoke and rubble of Duisburg, but deeper in the heart of Germany there must be men charged with the defence of the Reich whose hearts tonight are filled with dread and despair. For the unbelievable thing has come to pass – the RAF has delivered its greatest single attack against a German industrial target since the start of the war ... and it did it this morning in broad daylight.' On the way back from the raid Dimbleby reported seeing, 'a tight orderly formation of Flying Fortresses engaged on their Cologne operation passing us above the clouds, I could not help but realise that, together, Britain and America can now put into the morning or afternoon sky a mighty force of bombers that spells destruction and ruin for our enemies.'
With the RAF Bomber Command crews returning home by lunchtime, many had little rest before the call to prepare for a return to Duisburg. Some 1,005 heavy bombers took to the skies to attack the city in two waves, with a large diversion attack to Brunswick. Opening in the early hours of 15 October, crews had noted fires visible from some 100-miles away, such was the intensity of the destruction from the earlier raid. A further 4,000 tons of high explosive bombs and 500 tons of incendiaries fell from the bombers onto the city, to finish what they had started a few hours before. Brunswick, further east, came within the sights of some 230 heavy bombers. The wooden city burned, almost 90% destroyed.
RAF Bomber Command flew some 2,589 sorties in less than 24 hours losing a total of 25 aircraft (either over the target or prior). Some 2,500 to 3,000 civilians and workers were killed. As noted in surviving German records, the raid was seen as one of, if not the most devastating raid on Duisburg of the war. These same records confirm the very serious damage caused to housing, with factories, and utilities silenced and put of out action for many months. Substantial damage to the coke, coal and smelting works was caused with large amounts of production lost. Significant and lasting damage was also inflicted on the Thyssen steel works.
Harris deemed the operation a success. The tonnage of bombs dropped during this short period was never exceeded by Bomber Command.
(The crew and ground crew pose by Lancaster NG133 of No. 550 Squadron. The aircrew are at the rear, left to right, starting second in – F/Sgt Raynold Frank Veness, one of the gunners (unknown which one), F/O Alec Abrams, one of the air gunners, Sgt Kenneth William Nettleton, F/Sgt John William Brown, F/Sgt Philip Leonard Brooker. Lost on the 14 October 1944, only the pilot Alec Abrams would survive.)
Marc Hall's book Bomber Command Operation Hurricane - The Story of Those Who Flew, Fought, and Failed to Return on 14th and 15th October 1944, is published by Fighting High.