Questions on 8th AF Swinemünde raid on 12 March 1945

[Chris Going]

Dear Juha

It would seem clear from these TOCH exchanges, which have brought to light the Ordnance expenditures for March 12th 1945, that Swinemuinde was not plastered with fragmentation bombs on that day, nor were the fuses used on the Ordnance dropped anything much out of the ordinary.
Your Review can nail this canard, therefore. I think it can also nail the attendant claim that there were very high casualty figures.

I think it is also clear that the target on the day was the Port, despite Freemans citation of the target as an M/Y. Since the remainder of the day's targets were Marshalling Yards, I think we have a clear typo.

You might wish to know a bit on the Intelligence asessments of the attack, which Delmenhorst cites. The SA report on the attack was issued on March 13th 1945. This is Report No SA 3376. The first post attack reconnaissance cover of the town was on March 15th 1945. This generated Report No K-Imm 3975, which was issued on March 16th 1945. The town was again photographed on March 21st 1945, and this resulted in Report No K-Imm Supp 3975, which was issued on March 23rd 1945. A Final report was issued on the same day (Report No K 3975). Two days later, on March 25th 1945 the town was again Photographed. No report on this imagery seems to have been issued.

Incidentally, I have seen RAF imagery of Swinemunde taken on May 4th 1945, while the town was under Russian air attack. Its amazing stuff, and unpublished still.

Best

Chris Going

[Juha]

Hello Chris
and thanks a lot again for the identicication of the sources!

To both Chris and Carsten
I can only say to You both Thanks a lot for Your help!
The info You gave helped me greatly in the writing of the review.
I have now read the book and I’m doing the finishing touches to my review. I think that it’s important to get facts right on the Swinemünde attack. Even if at the time of Internet and of rather good foreign languages skills of Finns the translations are not so important that they used to be it’s still important to try to hinder the birth of new myths.
On Friedrich’s defence I have to say that usually he has got his facts right even if his book is in places rather one-sided and in a few places provocative.

Thankfully
Juha