Aerial view of the bomb craters around the Mitteland Canal, a subsidiary of the Dortmund-Ems Canal, near Gravenhorst, Germany, March 1945. The canal was bombed extensively by the squadrons of Bomber Command during World War II, but in February and March 1945 a maximum effort was made to put this important waterway out of action. By that point the Soviet armies in the east had captured the Silesian coal fields, and the German war industry became dependant on coke and coal shipments from the Ruhr along this canal system. Nos 463 and 467 Squadrons RAAF flew a number of operations against the canal in February and March 1945, during which many delayed action bombs were dropped to hinder German repair efforts. Reconnaissance photographs indicated the success of the operations in eventually putting the canals out of action, despite enemy repair efforts. However, because of the determined manner in which the Australian pilots pressed home their attacks, losses were high, including three squadron commanding officers: Wing Commander John Keith Douglas, No. 467 Squadron RAAF, Wing Commander William Alexander Forbes, No. 463 Squadron RAAF, and Wing Commander Eric Le Page Langlois, No. 467 Squadron RAAF. [AWM 128361]
Copyright expired - public domain