Bombing of Berlin

[Mike Kelly]

I found a interesting book at the op shop 'The Berlin raids' Author: Martin Middlebrook. subtitled 'RAF Bomber Command Winter 1943-44'

Berlin was considered to be the most heavily defended city in the Reich with around 200 searchlights and many flak positions.

Some of the Berlin raids were very ineffective with more RAF aircrew killed than Germans killed on the ground . One early raid had almost sixty bombers lost, 298 killed aircrew and only minor damage to Berlin. Around ten percent of RAF crews turned back before reaching Berlin , and some airmen just refused to fly there.

The new H2S air to ground radar was used in the pathfinder aircraft and the results were generally poor but on one successful raid everything clicked and the radar sets proved to be accurate . The improved Mk III H2S was on a shorter 3cm wavelength and these were quickly pressed into service but they were very unreliable.

The British had phantom German speaking radio operators directing the night fighters away from the target but the Germans quickly got around this ruse. A few Lancasters were fitted with special wireless equipment , these sets would jam the German ground control frequencies. The Germans used female radio operators so the British did the same ! It was a to and fro game. The Germans had specially trained JU88 crews dropping flares above the bomber stream over Berlin.

It has been generally said that the raids on Berlin were not a victory.

Quite a few of the returning RAF bombers crashed on landing at foggy airfields in the UK.