1000 RAF Bombers Back Up the Army

1000 RAF Bombers Back Up the Army

A newspaper cutting referring to the first daylight 1000 bomber operations. Chris Scrimshaw took part in this attack. It is annotated 'Dad'.

1944-07-19

One newspaper cutting

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NScrimshawCC160930-01

The Daily [missing word]
No. 10,975 WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1944

MONTGOMERY BR[missing letters] LINE AT CAEN

Tanks Into Open Country:
7,000-Ton Bomb ‘Barrage’

GENERAL MONTGOMERY HAS BROKEN THE GERMAN LINE AROUND CAEN, AND STRONG ARMOURED AND MOBILE FORCES ARE OPERATION IN THE PLAIN OF CAEN TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST OF THE TOWN AFTER THE BIGGEST SURPRISE ASSAULT OF THE WAR.

The attack was preceded by the biggest concentration of air power the Germans have ever faced. Seven thousand tons of bombs were dropped on the German positions between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. by R.A.F. Lancasters and Halifaxes and Allied Liberators, Marauders, Havocs and fighter-bombers.
Here is the full text of last night’s special communiqué which told the great news:
“Early this morning British and Canadian troops of the 2nd Army attacked and broke through into the area east of the Orne and south-east of Caen.
“The attack was preceded and supported by a very great weight of air power organised by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force.
The town of Vaucelles, on the south side of the Orne opposite Caen, is being cleared of the enemy and strong armoured and mobile forces are operating in the open country further to the south-east and south.

‘Well Satisfied’
“Heavy fighting continues. General Montgomery is well satisfied with the progress made in the first day’s fighting of this battle.”
Before the attack 1,500 Halifax and Lancaster bombers dropped 5,000 tons of bombs in 45 minutes on Mondeville Steelworks and Colombelles, on Mondeville and Sannerville, and on Cagny, seven miles south-east of Caen.
Five hundred medium bombers dropped 500 tons of bombs. A force of 600 Liberators dropped 1,400 tons of bombs. No fighter opposition was met, and the results are described as “terrific.”
Nine bombers only were lost in the whole operation.

Turn to Back Page, Col. 2

[inserted] Advancing on the Periers sector in Normandy American infantry move up into open country with heavy tanks as cover. [/inserted]

[/inserted in margin] DAD [/inserted]

1,000 RAF BOMBERS BACK UP THE ARMY

“BOMBER” HARRIS sent out more than 1,000 Lancasters and Halifaxes early yesterday for the first time in daylight and for the first time against the German army in the field.
They dropped more than 5,000 tons of bombs before breakfast – between 5.45 and 6.26 a.m. – and this was only the first operation of a day in which the Allied air forces gave close support to the armies in Normandy.
As our bomber crews returned across the Channel they met great forces of American aircraft heading for the battlefield.
The main object of the assault was to destroy or put out of action the German defences and guns and the troops manning them.
In the eastern suburbs of Caen the Germans had made a strongpoint out of the steel works at Mendeville. They had great numbers of mortars which kept up continuous fire against our troops.

Target Obliterated
Here, and at Colombelles, further to the north-east along the east bank of the river Orne, the enemy had strongly fortified himself with anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, and great numbers of troops were in position.
These two targets together were attacked by 500 Lancasters and Halifaxes.
“When we were over Caen,” said F/O. A.A. Harris, a Canadian pilot, “the steelworks looked as if

Turn to Back Page, Col. 1

‘Like Looking Into Hell,’ Say Pilots
SPITFIRE pilots over the Caen sector of the battlefront yesterday had a grandstand view of the bombing.
Flight-Lieut. R.A. Beardesley, D.F.C., of Tolworth, Surrey, said afterwards:
“The sky over the target was absolutely packed with aircraft. Fighters and bombers seemed to fill the air flying wing-tip to wing-tip and from above we could see the bombs go down.
“The whole target area was a mass of flames. It was an impressive and terrifying sight, and I for one was glad I was not a German soldier.
“When the bombers turned for home they left a belt of black smoke two miles wide by nine miles long, and from the reflection through the smoke it seemed as if the earth itself was on fire beneath.”
The Norwegian leader of one of the Spitfire wings said:
“Looking down on the target area was like looking into hell.”