Middle and Far East tours were dominated by availability of relief crews. All were subject to variations as the war progressed. Coastal Command tour was on hours flown not Ops. Whilst these are part of the story it is not applicable to all Commands and AHQs eg No.38 Group tour early years was on Hours over enemy territory not Ops due to the length of supply dropping flights. Yet they accounted for 20% of all Australian combat deaths during the war.The single paper you cite is good but limits itself to analysis of Bomber Command and 8th/9th USAAF Operations from the UK. They were about 2% of all Australian enlistments for all services. In the first three months of 1944, Bomber Command lost 80% of the aircraft and crews that had been on active squadrons at the end of 1943.Īpproximately 9,000 members of the RAAF served in Bomber Command. Some 900 night fighters 6,880 searchlights, and slightly in excess 20,600 anti aircraft (ack–ack) guns. Once they flew over enemy occupied territory, waiting for the airmen was a Nazi defence force of 900,000 members. Unlike the brand of cowardice, which carried the death penalty in the First World War, LMF meant stripping of wings, (a qualification badge) stripping of rank, and a dishonourable discharge. Someone could fly twenty trips and due to nerves, stretched beyond the limit of endurance, then be branded LMF. Aircrew were not very happy about this label. If any airman, due to a breakdown in nerves, sickness, fright, or any other reason, was unable to, or refused to fly, he was branded LMF (lack of moral fibre). It is difficult to decide which is the more terrifying experience to bomb or to be bombed. Reports tell of so much sorrow and misery one hardly dares to think about them in detail. Goebbels wrote: "The situation grows daily more intolerable, we have no means of defending ourselves against the catastrophe". In the first few weeks after D–Day the RAF was losing more men than the British 2nd Army in Normandy, and aircrew were amongst the most highly skilled manpower.īy early 1945 the cities of Germany were battered on an unprecedented scale. Royal visits and heroic accolades were heaped upon the men of Bomber Command which lost 56,000 men killed in WWII. Because of the heavy casualties on 460 squadron, there was not any one plane, which flew 100 operations. The chance of completing the 30 trips was only 44%. Flying a bomber, over Germany, with flak and fighters, and risk of collision, was one of the most demanding, and deadly experiences in World War Two.Ī tour of operations was 30 trips, the life expectancy of a crew was 6 trips, and of the Lancaster 10 trips. The aircrews knew the odds weighed heavily against their own survival when carrying out air attacks on the industries of Germany. The Royal Air Force Bomber Command, following the Battle of Britain, was the means to carry the war to Germany. And later he stated, "I would not regard any cities of Germany as worth the bones of one of our airmen". His answer to that was "Well, it has never been tried yet and we shall see". The British night bomber offensive against Germany had been directed since early 1942 by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, who said, "A lot of people say that bombing can never win the war". 1941 May 8 – Heavy attacks on London Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and the British Museum damaged.1941 Feb 27 – Cardiff heavily attacked with fire bombs.The Guildhall and eight Wrenn churches destroyed 1940 Dec 22 – London severely bombed and burned by incendiaries.1940 Nov 11 – Coventry heavily bombed cathedral destroyed.
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