Luftwaffe attack on Bristol 14th15th May 1944

[Larry]

For the Luftwaffe attack on Bristol on the night of 14th/15th May 1944, by 91 aircraft, which units from Luftflotte 3 were involved? Presumably KG 2, KG 54 and KG 51?

Also does anyone know the approximate time of their departure, time they were over the target and time they returned?

[Orwell1984]

Attack is described on this site here:
http://www.century-of-flight.net/Avi...tol%20area.htm

Like April, May started quietly and it was not until the night of the 14th that a force of 91 bombers took off for the third time in 1944 to attempt an attack on the harbour installations at Bristol. The raiders, probably drawn from I, II and III/KG 2, I and II/KG 6, II and III/KG 30, I and III/KG 54, I/KG 66 and I/KG 100, first flew to Guernsey where the bomber streams converged, and from there direct to Bristol. The Sonderaüfklarungsstaffel Ob.d.L. had at, the end of April, joined 1(F)/121 in photographing target markers, and it was their aircraft which provided the night photographic capability for the attack force.

To aid navigation the pathfinders of 1/KG 66 employed Y-Verfahren which was operational from Cherbourg and St.Valery, while the Knickebein transmitters at Caen, Cherbourg West and Morlaix were also active. The target was to be marked by two green cascade flares dropped by I/KG 66, and the bombing run was to be south to north at 4000 to 6000 metres following a 30 degree glide. Over Bristol there was a 8 kph NNE wind, and a half moon in a cloudless sky giving 16 kilometres visibility.

This raid was particularly significant for on that night the Luftwaffe initiated airborne jamming on a frequency band covering part of the British ground and airborne radar system. A few Ju 188's of I/KG 2 carried the apparatus under the code name Kettenhund or Watchdog, which was applied to both the equipment and the aircraft in which it was fitted. During the operation extensive use was also made of Düppel which was dropped from 01.20 hrs onwards, eventually covering a lane about 20 miles wide from Portland to Bristol. It persisted throughout the raid, the Bristol area not being free of it until 03.01 hrs.

A total of 68 aircraft subsequently claimed to have attacked the City, with a further 15 Me 410's of I/KG 51 operating over local fighter airfields. Bristol was reported to have been raided between 01.50 hrs and 02.25 hrs with 163 tonnes of H.E.'s being dropped on target, and a further 4.65 tonnes on airfields in the Bristol area. The attack force again lost 14 aircraft, 11 of which failed to return resulting in the deaths of 40 crewmen, while 6 others were taken prisoner, including 3 injured. In addition 3 more aircraft crashed in France where a further 2 men died.

However, in spite of the German claims only five bombs had actually fallen within the Bristol city boundary. These came down at around 02.00 hrs in Headley Park, and at Kings Weston where a Searchlight Site was destroyed, and its attendant killed, the last life to be lost locally as a result of enemy action during World War Two.

For the inhabitants of Bristol and surrounding districts the trial by combat was drawing to an end, the All Clear at 03.07 hrs on the morning of May 15th 1944 marking the departure of the last German bomber to threaten the area.

I'm sure other members will be able to flesh out this overview.

[Larry]

Excellent many thanks indeed.

I was interested to read of the route in and presumably the route out was similar, as Christchurch to the east of Bournemouth - Portland area, received quite a few bombs at 2am 2.20 am on 15th, which suggest crews were either getting rid of un-used bombs when exiting over the Channel or they were hopelessly lost on the operation and dumped their bombs on the nearest town!

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Larry

Excellent many thanks indeed.

I was interested to read of the route in and presumably the route out was similar, as Christchurch to the east of Bournemouth - Portland area, received quite a few bombs at 2am 2.20 am on 15th, which suggest crews were either getting rid of un-used bombs when exiting over the Channel or they were hopelessly lost on the operation and dumped their bombs on the nearest town!

Larry, did you see my post #14 (7 Octber) in the thread about attacks on the South Coast?

I included something about the jamming support of this raid on my website recently.

Regarding units on the main Bristol attack, Luftflotte 3's appreciation of the operation is attached below.

[Larry]

Nick, sorry I missed that other post till now.

But thanks for the attached which is very interesting to read

[Kutscha]

Is Ruffle mentioned in the graphic, the German version of chaff/Window?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Kutscha

Is Ruffle mentioned in the graphic, the German version of chaff/Window?

I would think so. The double brackets round the word mean that ((Ruffle)) has been used in place of a German code name — this was common practice. The problem is that they only explain what they have done in the first message where the German name appears and if you don't find that message, you may never know the original. So RUFFLE is probably »Düppel«.

[SES]

Very interesting read many thanks for sharing.
bregds
SES