antarmike Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 A force of 174 Avro Lancasters and 2 DeHavilland Mosquitos succeed in breaching the Dortmund-Ems Canal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 3 Lancasters were lost in this raid. The Germans had partly repaired the section of the canal north of Münster after the No 5 Group raid in September, so this further attack was required. The banks of both branches of the canal were again breached and water drained off, leaving barges stranded and the canal unusable. A report from Speer to Hitler, dated 11 November 1944, was captured at the end of the war and described how the bombing of the canal was preventing smelting coke from the Ruhr mines reaching 3 important steelworks - 2 near Brunswick and 1 at Osnabrück. In his post-war interrogation, Speer stated that these raids on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, together with attacks on the German railway system, produced more serious setbacks to the German war industry at this time than any other type of bombing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 On the same night Bochum was attacked. The RAF fielded 749 aircraft - 384 Halifaxes, 336 Lancasters, 29 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 23 Halifaxes and 5 Lancasters were lost; German night fighters caused most of the casualties. No 346 (Free French) Squadron, based at Elvington, lost 5 out of its 16 Halifaxes on the raid. This was a particularly successful attack based upon standard Pathfinder marking techniques. Severe damage was caused to the centre of Bochum. More than 4,000 buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged. Bochum's industrial areas were also severely damaged, particularly the important steelworks. This was the last major raid by Bomber Command on this target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Yep it's the 4th of November. Time to recall that today is the ninetieth anniversary of the death of Wilfred Owen, Dulce Et Decorum Est and all. He was killed when his battalion attempted to force the Sambre-Oise canal on that terrible day and is buried in Ors Communal cemetery along with many heroes of the attempt including 2nd Lt James Kirk VC, Lieutentant-Colonel James Neville Marshall VC, Lance Sergeant Alfred Hall MM and Captain Angus McKenzie MC & Bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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