A Lancaster releasing its bomb load over Duisberg, Germany, October 1944. The Operations Record Book for No. 460 Squadron, which participated in two consecutive raids on Duisberg on 14 and 14–15 October 1994, reveals that the twenty-six Lancasters dispatched to Duisberg on the night of 14–15 October carried between them seven 4000 lb ‘Cookie' bombes, twenty-six 1000-lb bombs, seventy-two 500-lb bombs, and ninety-eight 'No. 14 Clusters' containing incendiary devices, a typical area bombing load. Seen falling away from the Lancaster here is its 4000-lb 'Cookie' and the incendiary clusters. The load would have been carefully placed in the bomb bay by the ground crew to ensure that it did not drop in a heap, which would have unbalanced the aircraft, but that it fell first from one corner then another, from the bomb bay. The 'Cookies' were often dropped in the opening stages of an attack to blow roofs off and windows in. Each 'No. 14 Cluster' consisted of 158 4-lb incendiaries, packed with magnesium, which would fall through roofs to set fires. The raids on Duisberg were devastating and the Australian official historian wrote that when Bomber Command flew away 'the whole city appeared to be ablaze' ['Bomber Command: Bombs, Mines and Incendiaries' at www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_bombsmineincendiaries.htm; AWM SUK13180]
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