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Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies. |
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Trying to understand two consecutive bombings
Hi, is it possible to find out the motives/missions for the two consecutive bombings of a little village in the North of France, called "Le Translay" ? It was bombed by the British Air Force (?) on the 26th of January 44 and then on the 13th of February 44. To the population there was nothing worthwile in the village and vicinity to justify the bombings. Is there any no longer confidential information on the subject that could help understand the attacks ?
All I found is this : Sunday 13th february1944/ tactical operations (Ninth Air Force) 182 B-26s attack V-Weapon sites in the coastal area of France, 16 others bomb secondary targets in the area. What is the importance of secondary targets ? Was "Le Translay" a secondary target ? Was the name a misunderstanding concerning huge electrical installations ? (The V-1 site around pas de calais is appr 100km up in the North) Thanks for your help !! |
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Re: Trying to understand two consecutive bombings
Were these daylight raids or night?
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Re: Trying to understand two consecutive bombings
Hello, I've just been talking to one of the villagers who then was a 14 year old boy and has still a very vivid memory of this time. 26.1. (might have been the 15th of Jan) Raid on 9 am / 6 planes B-17, 4 engines coming from the direction of "Blangy sur Bresle". At that time 2 little german cannons were situated on the field between "route de Gamaches" and "route de Morival". These cannons were too small to reach the B17 and thus not worthwhile attacking ? The bomb impacts surrounded a farm "Détrimont" along the main road on the left, in the direction to "Abbeville" - this farm was very near the site of the two little cannons - which appeared to the villagers as rather 'harmless' . 13.2.1944 Raid at the early afternoon / 6 B-17 4 engines/ flying in from "Oisemont" - other direction than 26th January. Meanwhile the Germans had moved the 2 cannons in another field, between the "route de Busmenard" and "route de Gamaches". This time the B-17 were bombarding the right field, but the cannons were moved. In "Cerisy-Buleux" was a powerful german artillery (DCA) that shot down 1 of the 6 B-17 over "Rambures". Pilots and other crew members jumped with parachutes, but are caught up by burning and crashing plane. My villager has seen 2 dead bodies, others scattered ... one crew-member survived the crash being in the back of the plane. In the nearby village "Bouillancourt en Séry" a V-1 site was under construction in the fields of the farm "Duval" which has the exact 'layout' as the farm "Détrimont" in "Le Translay". The villagers think that the target for both raids was this V-1 construction site and think that there has been a confusion about the farms ? Thanks again for your interest and help. |
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