Thread: The Pathfinders

The concept of a Pathfinder force to lead the way for the bombers was opposed by Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris because the expert pilots and navigators it would involve were exactly the men that he needed to lead the ordinary squadrons. But once ordered to organise such a unit, Harris appointed Donald Bennett, an Australian Wing Commander, to lead it. Bennett had undertaken many long distance lights during the 30s, and had served in flying boats commanded by Harris, so he was a known quantity. The Pathfinders' Mosquitoes and Lancaster’s were packed with the latest navigational and bomb aiming equipment, saving the main force crews the problem of target location.

Air Vice-Marshal Donald Bennett (above) was a natural choice to lead the Pathfinder Force. Its job was to position marker bombs (below) accurately on the target.

Mosquitoes locate the target by 'Oboe' and drop parachute flares and bombs to mark the target. Extreme accuracy is vital at this stage because the bombers that follow will try to bomb on the aiming point.

Waves of bombers arrive over the target and drop a mixture of high explosive (HE) bombs, land mines and incendiaries. The HE bombs blow off roofs and shatter windows.

Lancasters and other heavy bombers shower the marked target with incendiaries. Many are dealt with by civilians but the civil defence forces are already being strained.

The land mines have delayed-action fuses, so they explode after the bombers have left and hinder the efforts of the fire fighting and rescue forces.