Hanover A Blazing Ruin

Hanover A Blazing Ruin

A newspaper article describing an attack on Hanover. It is annotated 'No 10 22/3 9/43'.

Two newspaper cuttings

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HANOVER A BLAZING RUIN
[inserted] No 10 22/3 9-42 [/inserted]

Fires Visible to R.A.F. 150 Miles Away: Hundreds of 'Cookies'

A NEW record for concentrated bombing was set up by the R.A.F. in the raid on Hanover on Wednesday night. One of the heaviest weights of high-explosives was dropped in a cascade attack lasting only half an hour. Though by no means the biggest onslaught the R.A.F. is able to make, it was one of the heaviest raids of the war.

Several hundred 'planes, with a large proportion of four-engined ones, took part. [missing word] smashing attack followed an enforced lull of 16 days, caused by bad weather.

When the last wave of 'planes left the target deep red fires were glowing in many parts of the city, while several smaller ones were rapidly gaining a hold, according to pilots and aircrew members returning from the raid.

Many of them reported that they could still see the fires when they were between 140 and 150 miles from Hanover on the way home. One pilot reported a big sausage-like column of thick black smoke giving the impression that the rubber works had been hit.

Hundreds of 4,000lb. "cookies" crashed down in the target area. Pilots and crews reported huge billowing flames where these hit.

Wing-Commander P. Burnett, from Doncaster, who led a big formation from this station, said: "The raid was most successful."

Two Birthday Raids

Flight-Lieutenant A.C.A. Patten, who was born in Lambeth, bombed Germany on his birthday for the second time in succession. He hopes to do it again next birthday if the war is not over by then. Patten has taken part in 64 raids so far.

"It was interesting over the target, where the weather was very clear and we could easily see a built-up area," said First Lieutenant E.G. Roberts, of U.S.A.A.F. now attached to the R.A.F.

"We were in the first wave and saw the start of the raid. There were bags of incendiaries raining down, with plenty of 'cookies.'

"On the way back we had two encounters with German fighters, but after our gunners gave them a burst they sheered off without answering our fire.

Lieutenant Roberts flew in C for Charlie, a veteran Lancaster which has taken part in 31 raids.

Important Works

Hanover was last raided by Fortresses on July 27, when the rubber factory which is the main target there was considerably damaged. It is a city of about 450,000 people, and in the course of 1938 and 1939 the Germans made it a kind of second Ruhr, though on a smaller scale.

Besides the important rubber works there are a large number of small factories making aircraft components and a very large number making armoured fighting vehicles.

The rubber factory makes about 90 per cent. of the tyres serving the German war effort. There is also a large oil refinery.

The Air Ministry also reported that small forces bombed Oldenburg and Emden. Several enemy fighters were destroyed.

Fighters on intruder operations attacked enemy airfields in Holland and North-West Germany, and destroyed one enemy aircraft. Twenty-six bombers and one fighter are missing. – B.U.P.