Magazine Journal April 2016

4 april 2016 MILITARY FREE ISSUE NR 02 Journal THEME STORY Volume IGeorge EdwardJones: LIFE IN THE 2016RAF SPECIALTY OF THIS MAGAZINE The Cold War Era!Kraftwerk Nordwest Mannschaft Bunker,-The Blockhaus at Eperlecques France!INDEPENDENT DIGITAL MAGAZINE OF HISTORICAL & MODERN MILITARY ISSUESPublisher: Magazine ‘T Arsenaal Netherlands BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION

Editor In Chief-Hoofdredacteur Rob Vaneker Associate Editor Robert Wilbrink & Giesbert Oskam Contributing writers Rob Vaneker, Dik Winkelman (Koerier) Jan Grefhorst Associate writers Hans Hollestelle Jim Gaines-Gerrit Jacobs-Jim.E Malbourough-Giesbert Oskam-Maarten Muns-Lorraine Mc Williams Advertisements and Projects Robert Wilbrink Graphic artist Rob Vaneker Circuliation officer Robert Wilbrink Recommended E magazine’s www.loopgraafkoerier.webs.com http://www.army.mod.uk/soldier-magazine/soldier- magazine.aspx2 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

From theEditorThe future of armoured fighting renamed at DSEI (Defence Systems & Equipment International) exhibition on 15 September 2015.On 3verhicles September 2014, General Dynamics UK was awarded £3.5 billion to deliver 589 SCOUT SV platforms to theGeneral Dynamics announce that it will build the AJAX British Army.(AFV) Armoured Fighting Vehicle in a factory site nearMerthyr Tydfil in South Wales. AJAX provides a step- INVITATION TO WRITERSchange in the Armoured Fighting Vehicle capability We also invite all kind of writers to make contributes tobeing delivered to the British Army.The programme our new magazine. Military Journal features articles andincludes six variants: AJAX, ARES, APOLLO, ATHENA, columns written by authority in aATLAS and ARGUS. Each AJAX variant will be a highly- compelling, accessible style,richly illustratedagile, tracked, medium-weight armoured fighting with Photographs We are especially interested in relatedvehicle, providing British troops with state-of-the-art subjects and writers that fall within Military Journalbest-in-class protection. above-stated purview. Currently, we would like to hearThe vehicles are developed upon a highly-adaptable from writers who are knowledgeable about the Cold Warand capable Common Base Platform, maximising Era and First-Second world war.commonality in mobility, electronic architecture and [email protected] that ensures the British Army has a family ofworld-class platforms.Each AJAX platform variant hasextensive capabilities, including acoustic detectors, alaser warning system, a local situational awarenesssystem, an electronic countermeasure system, a routemarking system, an advanced electronic architectureand a high performance power pack.The AJAX family of vehicles has growth inherently builtin. With an upper design limit of 42 tonnes of drivelinecapability, scalable and open electronic architecture anda modular armour system, it has enormous potential tocombat future threats and incorporate new technologythroughout the lifespan of the platform.As a result,AJAX provides the kind of growth capability that theuser will need to face the uncertain challenges of FutureForce 2020 and beyond. AJAX will replace the lesscapable CVR(T), providing broad utility throughout thebalanced Army 2020 force across all operations.In September 2014, General Dynamics UK was awarded£3.5 billion to deliver 589 AJAX platforms to the BritishArmy. In July 2015, it was awarded a further £390 millioncontract to provide in-service support for the AJAX fleetuntil 2024.In addition, the Company announced that it isopening a new Armoured Fighting Vehicle Assembly,Integration and Testing (AIT) facility in South Wales.The AJAX programme was originally known as theSCOUT Specialist Vehicle (SV) programme. It was3 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

4 • Magazine Military Journal 2016 From the Editor03 Special theme story: George Edward Jones: LIFE IN THE05 RAF: Part Five: Author Lorraine Mc09 Williams1819 Kraftwerk Nordwest KNW20 Mannschaft Bunker The Blockhaus at Eperlecques: Authors Robert Wilbrink-Rob Vaneker Resourses Advertisment Giesbert Oskam International Bookstore Advertisment Nijmeegs Jopie Webshop

SPECIAL THEMEGeorge EdwardJones: LIFE IN THERAF: Part Five8TH INSTALMENT navigation schools. At night flame Cooking facilities consisted of one electric floats were deployed into the sea and hot plate and a 'Clyde' Cooker which wasNavigation was what was called 'dead drift sights were taken on these. two primus stoves set in a metal box withreckoning' in other words you flew on a Marine and bubble sextant were also an oven in between, steak, mashedcompass bearing allowing for the used, also radio bearing, sometimes potatoes and eggs were cooked. We haddirection and speed of the wind. Leaving from German U Boat beacons at two cooked meals plus chocolate and gumthe Shetlands you would fly using a Bergen and Stevanger in Norway. for sustenance. During the flight the twocourse adjusted by the wind given by gunners in the blisters were on watch plusthe 'met' office at the base. Then the The ante-submarine patrols were a front gunner and the two pilots. Radarnavigator would ask you to fly a three normally carried out in an area was not used all the time unless thecourse wind to obtain a triangle of between Iceland and the Faroes called visibility was bad.velocities which he worked out on his the 'Moorings Area'. In a creeping line'Dalton' computer. Not really a computer ahead search westwards; if the Two homing pigeons were carried inbut very useful all the same. To do this visibility was say 5 miles the lines of special containers ... these were fed andyou would alter course 60º to port for search would be 10 miles apart. It was watered by the crew during the flight. Thetwo minutes then 90º to starboard for started at a set point on the chart theory was that if forced down into the seatwo minutes then resume normal given to us by the 'ops' room and for any reason a message was put on thecourse. continued until taking in the time for pigeons leg and hopefully if flew back to return to the base .... eighteen hours the base with your position. Usually weThe navigator would look through a drift were completed. Flying at all times just would release them after landing at Sullomsight fixed near him in the side of the below cloud level up to about 2,000ft, Voe to give them a little exercise.aircraft read off the drift on the three so if it was rough the whole eighteendifferent courses and so find the wind. As hours was spent in rough air. Rarelyyou can imagine navigation was a full time was the flight dead smooth.job for eighteen hours ... no wonder wehad the best men who passed through the5 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

Also carried were two dinghys which would blow up climbing to turn to the left and at about 300ft out of the fog.automatically when put in the water out of the blisters. This taught me a great respect for the Faroes and in the futureEmergency rations and a special radio operated by hand if we were not too sure of our position on the way home Icranks to give the power using an aerial attached to a kite. would climb up to 7,000ft and go over the top.Never had to use them!. Coming back to baseI wouldsometimes fly at sea level just to adjust after being at altitude. In June 1943 I started flying on operations 'in charge'. SgtAfter landing a dinghy would lead us in the mooring area Noble was second pilot. One trip we were diverted toindicating which buoy we shoulduse. One had to come up to Reykavik in Iceland which brought back memories of mythe buoy into wind and to help slow down, out of each blister earlier visit. At that time white bread was available therea sea anchor or drogue was dropped. This was a large canvas because of the American Troops. At home it was greyishfunnel shaped object tapering from say 2.5 feet to 9-10 brown. Cigarettes were 6d for 20 (2.5pence) and spirits wereinches. If they were dropped into the water too fast the about 25p a bottle so the aircraft was loaded for the return toretaining rope would break and the drogue lost. In flat calm Sullom Voe. The endurance of the Catalina was approx 24conditions in order to slow down enough for the crew hours and with three over loaded tanks mid-ship the aircraftmembers to pass a rope through the wire loop on the buoy it range could be increased to over 30 hours. One aircraft did 32was sometimes necessary to switch off the ignition of both hours checking on the pack ice north of Spitzbergen, for theengines from the main switch in the cockpit. 'Blipping' the Russian Convoys. At Reykavik we carried out a minorengines. After mooring the aircraft we would all go ashore and inspection on our aircraft changing all the sparking plugs .... aCaptain, Navigator and Radio Operator would report to the total of 56. Working on platforms carried by us and attachedOperations Room to give details of the trip ... weather to the sides of the engines. All done over the water. Landed forconditions etc. the third time at Lake Vaarga in the Faroes as bad fog stopped us returning to base. A large meal in the mess and then to bed. Off duty for 24hours. As you can imagine after continuous flying for this July 1943: I went on leave at the end of July flying to aperiod you were warned not to have a bath for the very strong base called 'Wood haven' on the River Tay near Dundee. Nopossibility of going to sleep and waking up 10 to 12 hours 330 Squadron of Norwegians operated from there beforelater freezing to death!. Dick Shaw and I shared a room and moving to Sullom Voe. Returning from leave we picked up anafter one trip I lay down on one of the beds and Dick sat in an aircraft at Greenock on the River Clyde to fly back four hours.armchair. We woke up this way 12 hours later still in full flying During September I had the only engine trouble experiencedkit. The tiredness was such that it even affected one's speech on operational flying. One of the Stromberg injectionalmost as if alcohol was having a go at the brain. On one of carburettors had a broken diaphragm so the fuel consumptionthe early trips with S/L King we were diverted to the Faroe was double on that engine. We returned to base after 8Islands to Lake Vaarga. This lake was 110ft above sea level hours.Also in this month we started training with a Leigh lightand the approach from the sea was over a waterfall in a 'V' which was a million candle power search-light mounted undershaped gap in the mountains. Then to land we turned and let the right wing operated by the navigator looking through thedown at the same time about 45º to port. All this had to be glass panel in the nose. He had two twist grip controls so thedone at first attempt as the mountains started at the other end light could be moved in any direction. The idea was to home inof the lake. Take-off was in the opposite direction ignoring any on the sub by radar then at 200ft and one mile the light waswind. Very exciting the first time!. switched on. The navigator held the sub in the light and I came down to 50ft and dropped the 6 depth charges. Half of I had a very long trip with F/Lt Mountford an air sea the cockpit windows on the right of the second pilot side werereserve looking for the crew of a flying fortress B17 which had blacked out with a special curtain so that I would not bebeen shot down when attacking a sub. We missed the dinghy blinded if the light was shone into the cockpit. The trainingby a few miles but they were found and our Wing Commander was done by homing in on a R.A.F.. Rescue launch off theAllington landed in the sea and picked the seven up. We did coast of Lerwick. It certainly showed the value of goodjust under 22 hours flying that day. instrument flying for it was very black when the light went out. Also on a patrol with F/Lt Mountford we were on the wayhome north of the Faroes flying about 50ft in sea fog. Theradar reported land eight miles away just off the starboardbow then went out of action. We flew on and the fog suddenlycleared and about four to five hundred yards ahead were themountains rearing up to 4,000ft. Panic stations immediately6 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

Convoy PQ17 assembles at Hvalfjord,Iceland, June 1942. PQ17 was ordered toscatter as the British Admiralty feared an attack by the German battleship Tirpitz.“Next installment were rubber sections on the leading edge of the wings about 1.5\"-2\" wide and they pulsated intermittently so as to form an One problem associated with night flying and descending uneven surface and the ice would break off. Later on the Markto bomb at 50ft was knowing your exact height during the long IV Cats we had wing heaters by diverting the hot exhausthours of darkness at these latitudes. At dusk you came down gases. If it was -2ºC it was warm and -5ºC was cold and thereto virtually sea level and set the altimeter then trust that the was no heat in the aircraft.pressure didn't drop too much to give a false height reading. Anexample was flying into Iceland where on one trip we were level When escorting a Russian Convoy north of the Faroes, thewith the mountain top and by the coast the altimeter in the cloud base was 500ft, snowing and the wind 45 knots from thecockpit was reading 1,500ft but the height of the mountain was N.E. Destroyers protecting the convoy were shipping water on2,500ft. The barometric pressure had increased considerably the bridge: this was one time we were glad to be in the air. Isince leaving the base thus the altimeter was reading too low. often wondered if the chaps down below were glad to be onConversely if you fly into the area of low pressure the altimeter something solid in such conditions.will read too high and if you came down to 50ft the aircraftwould be a submarine. Later on we were given radio altimeterswhich gave an accurate height reading up to 600ft.The weatherconditions were usually bad: always rough air and sometimesicing on the wings which was counteracted by allowing it toform and then switching on the de-icing 'boots'. These 'boots' OCTOBER 19447 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

On January 1st the squadron number finally got ashore. The wind was about March 1944: I started flying again inchanged to 210 and in April 1944 my 50mph and gusting over that. Every so March but went on leave again on 20 Marchpromotion to Flight Lieutenant confirmed. often we were duty crew and this meant as the crew were due for leave. We returnedOne classic case must be related. We that we refuelled the aircraft out on thewere coming home early as the weather water from a small motorised tanker. It on 5th of April.near Iceland was terrible 77 knots wind was a matter of honour that you put as(88-89 mph) then south of the Faroes we much fuel as possible into each tank, inwere diverted to Reykjavik. It was dark at that by walking along the wing to raise thearound 8pm we headed for Iceland with tank that was being filled. Lots of wing ...the distance from radar beacon on the 104ft.southern tip of the Faroes being about 30miles. After one hours’ flyingdistance from At night if aircraft were expected back To be continued issue Nr 3 June 2016the Faroes was about 5 miles so a rapid I would go out with a large three enginecalculation by the navigator and a check pinnace towing three small boats abouton the remaining fuel showed that with 8-1Oft long. Each boat has a 24 voltthis very strong wind against us we would aircraft battery and a bulb on top of a six ftnever reach Iceland. We informed group mast. The three were laid out andheadquarters by radio and were instructed anchored in a line into the wind aboutto fly down to the coast just off Aberdeen 1,200 ft long. To land at night you set theand there await instructions. This we did, aircraft at 70 knots which is 85mph andthe moon had now appeared but it was adjusted the power so that on the rate ofvery rough. From 2am to about 4am we climb and descent dial the loss of heightflew up and down off Aberdeen then was 200 ft per minute. Holding the aircraftinstructions to land at Inver Gordon as the like this you landed on the right hand sidewind had abated. It seemed to us that the of the three lights cutting power as youwind had not abated very much by the touched the water. This method of landingtime taken to reach Inver Gordon. There was also used in daylight in conditions ofwe flew around looking down in the dead flat calm when it was virtuallymoonlight at the white caps in the landing impossible to judge your height above thearea. After about an hour a flare path water. Sgt Noble left us to go to anfinally appeared. This consists of 3 small operational training unit to pick up his ownwooden dinghies about 8-10ft in length, crew and F/O Wickson joined as 2nd pilot.mast about 6ft high, one light bulb on top Other members of the crew had beenpowered by batteries. These boats are recommended for commissions by me.towed out by a motor pinnace and lined Keith Fraser, Paddy O'Toole and Ericup into the wind spaced about 200-300ft Carlson-Smith.apart. To land you line the aircraft up at500 ft, a speed of 70 knots and the power December 1943: We continued withon you descend at the rate of 200ft per Leigh light patrols and convoy escortsminute then cut the power as you make until December and then went home oncontact with the water which is not seen leave via Oban when I spent my 21stby the pilot. Birthday. Next day it was on to Pembroke Dock in South Wales. As I came into land the moon was inand out with the clouds but enough light January 1944: Returned to Sullomto see the large waves so at about 30ft Voe on 4th of January and soon afterclosed the throttles, pulled the nose up contracted jaundice and spent 20 days inand did a night stalled landing. We virtually the military hospital in Lerwick and thenstopped dead, shouts from the blisters as home on leave for about the same timethe water came in over the top. Anyway hitching a lift from Sullom on an old twinwe survived. Then as it was so rough it engine Harrow (it was an early typetook another 1.5 hours to taxi to the bomber) now used for bringing suppliesmooring-up buoy. There were a few harsh from the mainland.words said to the Controller when we8 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

KraftwerkNordwest KNWMannschaft Bunker TheBlockhaus at EperlecquesThis amazing complex is located town of Watten (Calais, Saint Omer), barges. The site would be shelteredin the Foret d'Eperlecques France, to begin construction of the somewhat, with the location being at the(Eperlecques Forest) about 5 km. first rocketlaunching enormous bunker. foot of a forest That rose some 90 meters,from Watten (A26 road Calais Plans for the bunker had been drawn sloping away from England and justSaint-O EIA), France. This up in January and February by experts inland enough to be out of range of navalenormous bunker was from both Peenemunde and guns. The roads were excellent nearconstructed by the Germans in Organization Todt. This enormous Watten and electrical supply was1943 to accommodate; V-2 concrete bunker was to accommodate available Because high-voltage powerreception and storage; V-2 reception and storage, preparation lines were already in place in the area.preparation or rockets for launch or rockets for launch in a sheltered and 120,000 cubic meters of concrete wouldin a sheltered and controlled controlled mannermouse, on-site be required, and the bunker would havemannermouse; on-site production of liquid oxygen, and to be built in only four months. Inside theproduction of liquid oxygen; and launch control with two firing pads. bunker the Germans Intended to build alaunch control with two firing The project was code-named factory to produce liquid oxygen, to avoidpads. Kraftwerk Nordwest (KNW). losing oxygen through evaporation if it were transported. An extensivenessDecember 22,1942 After first looking at a few places ventilation system was planned, zoals around Zouafques near Nordausques anti-toxic gas filters where the fuels andOn December 22, 1942, Hitler in Particular, They Decided on the area explosive warheads were to be stored.ordered the construction of giant around Eperlecques. This location was There would be usefull lodging quartersbunkers for the launching of V-2s, the chosen for several at Reasons. For the for 250 soldiers and a mulitude or anti-first one to be started in Calais as a bunker to be logistically accessible aircraft batteries around the bunker.matter of urgency. A special mission during construction, -and thenInspected the St. Omer area and afterwards accessible for operationalchose Eperlecques as the site for the supply, it had to be built close to thefirst bunker. In March of 1943, Calais canal and a railway linkingOrganization Todt engineers Calais to Basle. There was a doubleDescended upon the Eperlecques railway line linking Saint-Omer toforest about five kilometers from the Calais and a navigable canal for large9 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

A large transformer in Holques, near Watten Eperlecques was bootable to providence enough current forthe compressor to manufacture liquid oxygen.V2 Assembled the supply of rockets and materials. Launched toward England. No doors Between thesis two tracks, big trucks were planned where the rocket would exitThe Germans would use four Heyland were to drive and park for access to the bunker. A perpendicular throughcompressors to manufacture liquid the bunker (this side of the building would be installed at the back of theoxygen, each one using the Claudets' has bone greatly damaged by the corridor, away frorn the gases, to mini-system or gas conversion to liquid. bombardments but is still visible mise the blast or launching rockets.They Intended To install five or thesis today). To the south was the hall were Chicanes can be seen today on the sidecompressors in the building. Each one the V-2s were to be assembled and walls of this corridor. This was was tocould produce 540 kg per hour. This checked, and the location of the five break the shock wave as the rocket waswould allow the launching of rockets at compressors to produce liquid being Launched.In late March,about a day. However the bunker was oxygen. On this route taken by the thounsands or laborers and earthmovingbuilt to launch a maximum of 36 rockets, the forward gallerys were equipment on the firing site. Thisrockets a day so the production of where the V-2s were to be lifted up construction site required an enormousliquid oxygen on the site itself would vertically, then fueled and warheads labor force. It consisted of 35,000, mostlynot be enough. More liquid oxygen attached. Lastly, the detonators were Frenchmen liable for The obligatory workwouldhave to be Transported to the fixed in. The V-2s would then go service (STO); ook Belgian, Dutch andsite to meet the 36 per day target. through the eighteen meters high by Russian prisoners (after the August 27, pivoting (All which can still be seen 1943 bombardments). The localV-2s were planned to be assembled in today). From there it would revolve 90 population Believes the structure is to bethe northern portion of the bunker. This degrees and go towards the outside an electric power station. The rate ofpart of the site was accessed by two of the building through Either of two progress was amazing due to advancednormal railway tracks linked to the corridors. On the exterior pads firing Mechanization That included excavators,track Calais Saint Omer. This was for the rockets would have been concrete plants and pumps, etc. Laborers worked night and day during 12-hour shifts. The materials were Transported by a narrow gauge railway line to the site. The deadline of completion was set for the end of October 1943.10 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

There was no local railroad to the bunker area originally. This railroad was ordered built on March 29,1943. The length was 12 km and it was connected to the railroad Watten-Dunkerque-Lille.Sophisticated concrete pumps allowed the concrete to be could be Launched for a've given supply or LOX. On Marchsent directly from the mixer towards the various points of 3, 1943, a letter was written in-which the Germans wereconstruction. The fixed site was linked to the places where planning production 23 compressor units, or five-whichthe materials were unloaded by a two-way railway track. would be at Watten. All 23 compressors together would haveNear the town of Watten workers unloaded the gravel, sand had a capacity of 84,000 tons / yr., All which added toand cement from the barges onto small trains-which were Peenemunde production or LOX, wouldhave've givengoing up and down the forest of Eperlecques 24-hours a 102,000 tons / yr., Or a rate of fire of about nineteen V-2s perday. The railway traveled over a wooden bridge, through the day.forest, to the place where the concrete mixers wereworking. The concrete mixers Their supplies got through When construction on the Blockhaus started, the localsthe force of gravity, All which Helped speed the process. On were more than certainement That it was an electric powerApril 13, 1943, the Obertsleutnant Thom Accompanied by station tat was being built. Axis for the Authorities in London,Schmid from Organisation Todt, came to visit the as the war archives show, the British did not know for a longconstruction and fired a series of panoramic photos of the time for what real purpose of the construction was. Even theworks. Thesis on photos you can see the site with the Resistance does not Seem to have known the real aim ofconcrete mixers, the Decauville tracks with little steam this construction. It was Deemed to be a high priority targetengines, All which were used to transport the materials for However, since the Germans were obviously building it for athe construction. \"special purpose\".It would require 4.7 tons of liquid oxygen to launch one The Defense Committee of the British War Cabinet Decidedrocket. The German specialists: estimated a loss rate of the Allies must attack German rocket installations quickly.one percent per hour due to evaporation in storage and Following the August 17, 1943, bombing mission againstallowed for an additional five tons per rocket. This Indicated Peenemunde, the RAF turned its attention to the Frenchprojected a delay of more than four days between liquid coastline. The Germans had Proposed firing rockets againstoxygen and rocket launching manufacture, All which cities in southwestern England as well as the largebrought` the required amount to around 14.4 tons per population center of London. For the battering of London,rocket. Hitler decreed fancifully That the bunker shouldering the Germans needed catapult installations for the V-1s and Vstart by firing 144 rockets each day. Therefore this schedule Either bunkers for fixed-2 operations or supply depots forwould have required about 2,073 tons of liquid oxygen per mobile operations in the Pas de Calais area. For the otherday. However, at the beginning of 1943, the total German targets zoals Aldershot, Winchester, Plymouth, andproduction, zoals liquid oxygen plants in the occupied Southampton, the facilities would need to be located interritories, would only allow for Approximately 200 tons per Normandy. It is unknown exactly how many launch sitesday. On March 3, 1943, a letter was written in-which the were planned, but It May have been as many as 40 to 50 V-2Germans were planning 23 production compressors, or sites and 60 to 100 V-1 sites, all in a wide semicircle fromfive-which would be at Watten. All 23 compressors together Dunkirk to Cherbourg. The joint effort by the Allies to counterwould have had a capacity of 84,000 tons per year, All the German rocket threat was known as Operationwhich added to Peenemunde, wouldhave've given 102,000 Crossbow. Given the perceived potential danger posed bytons per year, or a rate of fire of about 19 missiles per day. the V-weapons, the whole of RAF Bomber Command and an appreciable number of heavy bomber units from America'sThe October 1942 plan was for a bunker LOX plant (three Eighth Air Force were now tasked with destroying thewere planned: Wadding, Wizernes, Sottevast) to have six German rocket sites. Almost half of all Alliedcompressors, each producing 540 kg / hr, or about 13 tons photoreconnaissance was now devoted to the rocket threat.every day, a total for all six compressors or 78 tons everyday. At the rate of 15 tons per missile, this would have beenenough for about five V-2s per bunker, per day. However, ifthe missles were Launched from close proximity to thebunkers, the 5 tons per missle allowance for evaporationcould have been Significantly reduced. This would translateinto an almost 50% Increase in the number of V-2s That11 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

! Eperlecques Blockhaus Today Aerial view of the Eperlecques wood and the blockhaus site (Google Earth) 12 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

The site like it was when the Canadian forces took it ! (Canadian Heritage)May161943 were in the process of pouring thou the huge site, Especially the northern sands of cubic meters of concrete on section where large quantities of On May 16, 1943, the first aerial the site.On August 27, at the days after concrete had just been poured, leavingphotographs of the Blockhaus at the raid on Peenemunde, 187 Flying a hardened, twisted mass. At the timeEperlecques had been taken by RAF Fortresses of the Eighth Army Air of the attack, workers had completedreconnaissance aircraft. As the RAF Force, escorted by 147 P-47 more than a third of the totalplanned its night raid on Peenemunde, Thunderbolts, attacked the bunker in construction. Some of the forcedon photographic flights at Eperlecques the late evening. After crossing the laborers died in the attack, while othersShowed That a number of rail lines and coast, the B-17s were attacked by fired the opportunity to escape. Duringhuge underground bunkers were being German fighters, All which overtook the raid, the Americans Suffered theconstructed near Watten. Intelligence advantage of the lack of coordination loss of four B-17s, with 98 others beingsources Reported That as many as between the bombers. Despite the damaged, alongwith one P-47 shot6,000 construction workers were seen deadly accurate antiaircraft fire and down. Upon landing in England, theworking at the site. The British War attacks from German fighters, the crew of one B-17 Counted more thanOffice Considered the building to be \"of attack continued for about an hour with 200 flak holes in Their aircraft. Thea special nature\" and had already a total of 366 bombs being dropped. American aircrews claimed 'a dozenDecided to bomb the site. Subsequent The 2,000-pound bombs devastated German fighters shot down. TheAllied photographs at the end of daylight attack of August 27, 1943, wasAugust revealed construction workers the first time the German V-weapon sites had been targeted by the US Eighth Air Force. For good measure, from August 30 to September 7, the complex was attacked four more times in smaller raids using medium and heavy bombers.13 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

! Loading the (Callboy) bombsOfficials from the Organization Todt the site from aerial bombardment incorporated in its new construction. Thissoon Deemed northern section resolve during construction. He Suggested Meant That the Germans might have heldirremediably. At the time, German building the roof first and raising it up out the possiblity of launching a limitedofficials still Believed the Pas de from the ground. In November, the amount of rockets from the site.Calais area in northern France would southern portion was cleared and newbe the eventual launching area for V-2 work started by pouring a concrete By January of 1944 the construction wasrockets, and even if the bunker was roof five meters thick in sections. The completed on the liquid oxygen factory.not used to prepare and fire rockets, roof would be raised Gradually by The Germans continued finishing theliquid oxygen would still be needed to using a series of giant hydraulic jacks inside and put in three compressors tosupply any potential mobile field and blocks. The exterior and interior make liquid oxygen. The Allies had repaidoperations. During the months of walls would be built underneath. This a technological battle to the 5-meter thickSeptember and October, Organization roof would protect the construction roof. The 2,000-pound bombs wereTodt Investigated the Blockhaus and taking place below it. The strata of having no effect on the building, if notDecided to Complete the southern each layer of concrete were cast, and destoying the rail and road networks.portion of the bunker for each time, the roof was raised to buildmanufacturing liquid oxygen.One of the outside wall. In this mannermouseTodt's top engineers, Werner Flos, had the building was raised to 28 meters.an idea to the ongoing construction Eventhough the new building was tousing a technique That would protect be a liquid oxygen production facility only, features for the movement and launching of rockets were still14 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

! The British had designed much heavier bombs zoals the would cause violent mini-earthquakes each time They\"Tallboy,\" or earthquake-bombs, each weighing 12,000 pounds. exploded. This Prompted the German engineers to remove theThe RAF Launched two attacks on the bunker at Eperlecques liquid oxygen compressors for fear thatthey might explodeusing the monstrous bombs. On June 19, 1944, 17 RAF under Such conditions. On July 18, 1944, Hitler ordered theLancasters each dropped a single Tallboy bomb on the site, abandonment of the bunker. In the end, the Crossbow bombingand during the second attack on July 25, 1944, 15 more Tall campaign, alongwith the swift advance of Allied armies acrossBoys were dropped.Of the 32 bombs, only one actually hit the northern France finally won the struggle against the Blockhausbunker. Falling on the northern lip of the roof, the gigantic at Eperlecques.The Eperlecques site was captured bybomb was only bookable slightly to pierce the shell of the roof. Canadian troops on September 6, 1944, just a few days beforeThe Impact Caused Hardly any damage to the structure but the the beginning of the mobile V-2 operations. In January of 1945,building shook violently. The impact can still be seen, the crater the Blockhaus again came under attack by American aircrewsmade in the concrete roof was soon repared by the Germans, testing new bombs.the framing-which could still be seen When the site wasliberated by the Canadians. Another Tallboy bomb hit theground 27 meters from the south side, churning up the earthand creating a voluminous crater (this amazing crater can stillbe seen today in front of the Blockhaus, now a largepounds).The huge bombs, though never piercing the bunker, JANUARY 194415 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

!STRATEGICOPERATIONS.EIGHT AIRFORCE: August 27,1943STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air \"... On August 27, the target was Wadding. Our favorite B-17\"Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission Iza Vailabie \"was heavily damaged by deadly accurate anti-87: 224 B-17's are dispatched to the aircraft fire and we barely made it back to England for anGerman rocket-launching site con emergency landing at a coastal RAF base. As we walkedstruction at Watten, France; 187 hit the around the aircraft checking damage, we Counted more thantarget at 18:46 to 19:41 hours; They 200 flak holes, yet none of us were wounded. Tragically,claim 7-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's \"Shangri-La-Lil 'flying nearby in our 360th formation fired aare redeemed, one is damaged beyond direct hit and blew up. we saw only four parachutes ... \"repair and 98 damaged; casualties areone KIA, 18 WIA and 32 MIA. The On August 27, 1943. In the village of Penin, Augustin Flippeescort mission Consists of 173 P-47s; watches as a B-17-which has left its formation is trailing bluishThey claim 8-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; One smoke from the rear of the aircraft. The trail thickens andP-47 was lost and the pilot was listed Becomes black. The crewmen jump from the burning airplaneas MIA. This is the first of the Eighth Air just before it explodes killing three still onboard. OtherForce's missions against V-weapon witnesses of the catastrophe, Said The remnants fell towardssites (later designated NOBALL targets) the town of Villers-Sir-Simon, alongwith seven parachutes. But Augustin Flippe, who is only nine years old, turns back homeward after the sad scene was described to him The Boeing B-17, The Venus, belongs to the 508 Squadron of the 351st Bomb Group of the 8th US Army Air Force. On That Day of August 27, 22 Flying Fortresses take off from Great Britain to attack the V-2 Blockhaus at Watten-Eperlecques. After having crossed the coast, the B-17's are attacked by German fighters, All which take advantage due to lack of coordination of the allied bombers. Somehow this one B-17 gets separated and six Me-109s pounce on \"The Venus\". The crew survivors landed in the direction of Hermaville. Slightly wounded, four of them were stopped by the Germans. These people were sent to a hospital in Arras, then shipped to prison camps in Germany and Austria. If not for the intervention of some brave local residents, the other three American airmen would have fell to the same fate. Some fifty years after the event, Mr. Flippe persuades the French and American Governments to erect near Villers-Sir- Simon, a permanent marker paying homage to the men who fought and died for freedom and the destruction of the Blockhaus at Watten / Eperlecques.16 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

! B17 The Venus and her Crew Aerations of the Blockhaus at Eperlecques17 • Magazine Military Journal 2016

! 1809. Macksey, Kenneth (1995). The Hitler 05. Private Archives and story notes by Options: Alternate Decisions of George Edward Jones.Author: World War II. Greenhill Books. Mrs.Lorraine Mc.Williams-Dublin ISBN 978-1-85367-192-0. Mueller, Robert (1991). Combat https://www.google.nlChronology: 1941–1945. Washington, DC: Center for AirForce History. ISBN 978-1-4289-1543-5.Neufeld, Michael J (1995). The Rocket and the Reich:Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era.New York: The Free Press. ISBN 978-0-02-922895-1Sandys, Duncan (19 March 1945). Report on 'Large'Crossbow Sites in Northern France. Memo C.O.S. (45) 177 .USAF Historical Division (1951). The Army Air Forces inWorld War II: Europe: Argument to V-E Day, January 1944 toMay 1945. University of Chicago Press. p. 90.Zaloga, Steven J. (2008). German V-Weapon Sites 1943–45.Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-247-9.External links:Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blockhausd'Éperlecques.Le Blockhaus d'Éperlecques  – museum websiteGerman bunkers in Northern France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-weapons

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