Uncategorised Bomb victims Hannover 'Terror attacks' Sept 43

[Jock Auld]

Guys,

Got these handfull of papers not long ago and didn't think of them until I unfolded the newspaper and seen that it was like a mass memorial sheet posted by the local Gualeiter.

Looking at it the family that had kept these few bits of paper were hit quite badly with the loss of the grandmother and mother of the family and the father was seriously wounded.

They have marked another 10 names on the main sheet with 'x' so I would presume those were friends known to them on their street or local area?

Old Franz Geye I think would have been the opa and already passed away but he served in the 1st war as seen from his SB.

Horst Geye was I guess the 'father' that was badly wounded.

The sheet commemorates people killed on two seperate nights, the 23rd and the 28th Sep 1943.

Just a random fragment that someone preserved and quite sad really.

I am going to have a look and see if I can link up the sorties involved, well its on the things to do list anyway!

Jock:)

[hucks216]

That's an interesting piece of paper. There was a raid on Hannover on the night of the 22nd/23rd September which saw the loss of 31 aircraft from 7, 9, 10, 51, 57, 76, 77, 78, 90, 101, 102, 115, 158, 207, 214, 218, 428, 432, 434 & 460 Squadrons. An additional note of interest for that raid is that one of the aircrew shot down that night, F/O Pohe (RNZAF), went on to take part in The Great Escape in March 1944, was recaptured and was one of the 50 executed.

The raid on the night of 27th/28th September was even more costly for the bombers with 48 aircraft being lost from 7, 10, 15, 35, 50, 51, 61, 75, 76, 77, 78, 90, 101, 103, 106, 149, 156, 158,166, 196, 199, 214, 218, 405, 428, 432, 434, 460, 620 & 622 Squadrons.

(Source: RAF Bomber Command Losses Of The Second World War - 1943)

The Bomber Command War Diaries states that 711 aircraft took part in the first raid, which was the first raid on Hannover in 2 years, and also saw 5 USAAF B-17's taking part in the first American night raid on Germany. It states that 26 aircraft were lost. Maybe the discrepancy is due to aircraft making it back to the UK but crashing on landing?

For the second raid, the War Diaries book states that 678 aircraft took part in the raid with 38 being lost, including one B-17 (again, 5 USAAF B-17's participated).

Edited July 2, 2013 by hucks216

[Jock Auld]

Hello Hucks,

It is a very fragile bit of paper, I am not sure what to do with it, do you think behind glass is best?

Thanks for the steer to the sorties, quite horendus losses from the bomber formations.

Still I suppose the civil casualties balance it out in the greater scheme and hopefully they hit their targets shortening the war?

Terrible business war!

Jock:)

Edited July 2, 2013 by Jock Auld

[hucks216]

If you wish to display it then glass is a good way, as long as it is the type that can protect it from the sun's rays, otherwise an acid-free sleeve (although that would depend on the size obviously. But it has survived 70 years folded up and as long as it isn't folded and refolded constantly it should be ok for another few years yet.

As for the bombing of Hannover, again taken from the Bomber Command War Diaries, it states that for the first raid visibility was good but stronger than forecast winds caused to the marking and bombing to be concentrated between 2-5 miles SSE of the city centre.

For the second raid, again faulty forecast winds saved the centre of Hannover but the very concentrated bombing fell on an area 5 miles north of the city centre. Apparantly, RAF photographic data showed that most of the bombs fell in open country or in the villages north of the city.