Where is bomber command

Morale among British workers had largely held firm in the teeth of prolonged attacks by the German Air Force. Harris, however, firmly believed that through a combination of improved aircraft like the Lancaster and Halifax , better training and navigational aids, and a ruthless will to press the attack, Bomber Command could knock Germany out of the war. In May , Harris launched his first "thousand bomber raid" against Cologne.

The scale of the attacks shocked Germany, but the country continued to fight. Further massed attacks did have a devastating effect on the Nazi war economy. Albert Speer, the German armaments minister, believed that a series of raids like that on Hamburg in August , repeated in quick succession, might well have compelled Germany to surrender. Other more specialised operations also took place. Raids in and against German ' V weapon ' launch sites were also a crucial defensive measure, helping to limit attacks from flying bombs and rockets on British cities.

All these operations demonstrated the adaptability of Bomber Command crews, taking on precision strikes with great effect. Still, the focus remained on bombing industry. From November to March , Harris launched a series of huge raids on Berlin, promising to knock Germany out of the war in the process.

Over aircraft and aircrew were lost during the 'Battle of Berlin', but the city struggled on. Bomber Command switched its attentions to tactical objectives in early , helping to pave the way for D-Day , the allied invasion of occupied Europe.

Bomber Command aircraft played a vital and highly effective role attacking infrastructure around the invasion beaches. Attacking railways, roads and other transport links created chaos behind German lines, preventing the defending forces from massing to repel the landings. Bomber Command, although poorly equipped with medium bombers and lacking sufficient technology to bomb accurately, continually assaulted German military and industrial targets. However the appearance of taking the fight to the enemy was just as important in raising the morale of the British population as was the actual damage inflicted on the enemy.

Like the RAF the Luftwaffe struggled to create a viable night fighter defence. In these early days adverse weather and flak defences were responsible for many of the British losses. The s were an age when aerial apocalypse was feared, and it was believed that a strong bomber force would deter enemy aggression. While this organisation existed for 32 years, the role of Bomber Command in the Second World War is best known.

Less than an hour after the declaration, a Blenheim bomber took off to make a reconnaissance of German naval ports. From , Bomber Command caused significant disruption to the German war economy by attacking industrial, communications, and fuel targets in occupied Europe and Germany. Bomber Command raised operational squadrons during the war. These were largely manned by young, civilian volunteers from Britain and the Commonwealth.

Aircrew were expected to fly a tour of 30 operations before having a rest. Submit to Reddit. Share on LinkedIn. Publish on WordPress. Send via Email. Bomber Command moved to its new headquarters near High Wycombe early in Its commander-in-chief, Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, moved into a centre that had direct communications with all bomber groups and stations in Great Britain.