Thread: Bombs for Berlin

Bombs for Berlin are about to be loaded up on one of the great Wellington bombers with which the Royal Air Force had shown the Germans that the British could give it as well as take it. The bombs were carried on to the airfield in trains of four wheeled trucks drawn by a tractor, and it was not until they were close to the aircraft that the fuses were attached. Here the ground staff are giving that last deadly touch to the missiles. Recent raids on Berlin were believed to have surprised both officials and civilians by their effectiveness and severity. Berlin was far less well prepared than London in the matter of A.R.P and great efforts were made to make up deficiencies in equipment and shelters, for it was recognised that as the R.A.F reached parity with the Luftwaffe the attacks would become more and more intense.

Britain's growing strength in the air was the most hopeful factor in 1941. The new bombs were not only causing havoc in Germany, but giving the German leaders more than a headache. At this time Britain held the record for the biggest and most powerful bomb to date, one designed by Squadron Leader R. H. Garner. Having created this weapon, he flew with it to Germany and dropped it on Emden. "He had gone," said Lord Beaverbrook on April 23, 1941, "in pursuit of aviation, to see the bomb straight through to its final destination. That was the bomb which created so much interest in Germany and this country. It was the biggest bomb ever flung out of a bomber."

An idea of the size and power of the bombs may be gathered from this monster weighing 2,000 lb. It is being loaded into a Whitley heavy bomber.