making a Documentary about Falmouth bombing, Help!

[Filmmaker]

Hi all,

I'm making a film documenting the experience of the people of Falmouth, Cornwall during the air raids on the town throughout WW2.

Would I be right in saying that the raid on Falmouth on May 30th 1944 was the last raid on the UK? I believe I read that somewhere on this forum.

Could anyone point me in the direction of some useful sources of information?

Any personal stories welcome

particularly interested in learning a bit more about Phillip Lee Bishop

Thanks for any help

[Brian Bines]

As I recall there was a booklet about Falmouth at War produced a few years ago should be a copy in the local library.

[Bombphoon]

Fraid not. Last bombs to fall on the mainland was 20th March 1945.

[Filmmaker]

Thanks, where did this raid take place? I'm struggling to find reliable sources when it comes to air raid statistics, just wondering if you could point me in the direction of any sources?

[Brian Bines]

If you are talking about statistics for the May 30th raid there is a Home Office Key points damage report at the Public Records Office. At the Falmouth Library there was a book describing the raid and I have an extract from a booklet describing the bombing of the Swanvale oil depot and the demolishing of the Pentargon Hotel. If these are of any interest PM me,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Nick Beale]

There was a display about the raid (mainly photos IIRC) at the Pendennis Castle museum when I visited a couple of years ago.

The Falmouth raid wasn't the last attack on England but it was the last in the "Operation Steinbock" series, when the targets switched to ports where the Invasion forces were assembling. 104 bombers raided Portsmouth on 22/23 May 1944, losing ten. Five nights later, a smaller operation was mounted against Weymouth and to mine the adjacent waters; on the 28/29th a similar attack was made against Torquay while the next night’s target was Falmouth with a diversionary assault on Portsmouth.

Ulf Balke, "Der Luftkrieg in Europa, die Operativen Einsätze des Kampfgeschwaders 2 im zweiten Weltkrieg: Teil 2)" (Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz, Germany, 1990) ISBN 3-7637-5884-4 says that 51 aircraft were dispatched; 30 bombed Falmouth with just under 30 metric tons of bombs; 2 bombed St Austell (secondary target); the rest sowed BM 1000 sea mines off the port. Damage was done at Silley, Cox & Co.; in the docks; and the oil installation, where tanks No. 28 & 31 were burned out.

[Filmmaker]

thanks everyone for your help! you've helped put me on the right track.

[Larry]

Dear Filmmaker,

The Blitz Then and Now, Volume 3 by After the Battle Publications, says that the Falmouth raid was carried out by ten Ju 88 aircraft from 5/KG6 and one off these failed to return.

5/KG6 actually had a mix of Ju88A-14 and Ju188E at this time so I'm not sure if it was just Ju88's that raided Falmouth or a mix of both

[Chris Goss]

The attack was carried out by around 50 ac from KG 2 and I & II/KG 6. I have an account, in German, from a radio operator from 3/KG 6. There was one loss, a Ju 88 A-4 from 5/KG 6, which crashed 20 kms south of the Isle of Wight. This was probably the He 111 claimed by a Mosquito of 151 Sqn-I have an account from the nav/rad of this aircraft

[Alex Smart]

Hello Filmmaker,
I sent you a PM
Alex