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Saumur Tunnel, 9th June 1944
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Date Last Updated : Wednesday, April 6, 2005 2:40 AM |
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483
aircraft - 286 Lancasters, 169 Halifaxes, 28 Mosquitoes - attacked railways
at Alencon, Fougeres, Mayenne, Pontabault and Rennes to prevent German
reinforcements from the south reaching Normandy. All of the raids appear
to have been successful. 4 aircraft were lost, 2 Lancasters from the
Pontabault raid and 1 Lancaster and 1 Mosquito from the Rennes raid.
The
first 12,000-lb Tallboy bombs developed by Barnes Wallis were used on
this night by 617 Squadron in a raid on a railway tunnel near Saumur,
125 miles south of the battle area. The raid was prepared in great haste
because a German Panzer unit was expected to move by train through the
tunnel. The target area was illuminated with flares by 4 Lancasters
of 83 Squadron and marked at low level by 3 Mosquitoes. 25 Lancasters
of 617 Squadron then dropped their Tallboys with great accuracy. The
huge bombs exploded under the ground to create miniature `earthquakes';
one actually pierced the roof of the tunnel and brought down a huge
quantity of rock and soil. The tunnel was blocked for a considerable
period and the Panzer unit was badly delayed. No aircraft were lost
from this raid.
