Transport Plan

Transportation Plan
Part of Strategic bombing campaigns in Europe
Date6 March 1944[1] - Late August 1944
LocationEuropean Theatre of World War II
Result Allied victory[2][3]
Belligerents
 United States
 United Kingdom		  Nazi Germany
Commanders and leaders

USAAF: Carl Spaatz

RAF Bomber Command: Arthur Harris

The Transportation Plan was a plan for strategic bombing during World War II against bridges, rail centres, including marshalling yards and repair shops in France with the goal of limiting the German military response to the invasion of France in June 1944.

The plan was based those of Air Marshal Tedder and the "Overlord air plan" of Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory,[4] The plan was devised by Professor Solly Zuckerman, an advisor to the Air Ministry, to destroy transportation in Occupied France during the "preparatory period" for Operation Overlord so Germany would be unable to respond effectively to the invasion.[5][6]

The air campaign, carried out by the bombers of the RAF and USAAF crippled the German rail networks in France and played a crucial role in disrupting German logistics and reinforcements to the invasion area.[7]

Plan and operations

Air Officer Commanding (AOC) RAF Bomber Command Marshal Arthur Harris did not want to divert his bomber force away from their strategic campaign against German industry (known to the Germans as the Defence of the Reich campaign). However, he resigned himself early on to supporting Overlord as early as 17 February 1944 while his force was engaged in the bombing campaign against Berlin.[8] On 6 March 1944, Charles Portal ordered attacks on the marshalling yards at Trappes, Aulnoye, Le Mans, Amiens, Lougeau, Courtrai and Laon. Control of all air operations was transferred to Eisenhower on 14 April at noon.[9]

Attacks made under the Transportation Plan

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Bombing missions
Date Target Notes
night of 7/8 March Le Mans railway yards 304 RAF bombers attacked Le Mans.[10]
night of 13/14 March Le Mans Repeat attack on Le Mans by 222 RAF bombers.[11]
night of 15/16 March Amiens 140 RAF aircraft
night 23/24 Laon railway yards 143 RAF aircraft but attack stopped half-way through. The bombing had little effect.
25/26 Aulnoyne railway yards 192 RAF aircraft
22 April Hamm, Germany 800 bombers attacked railroad marshalling yards in Hamm, Germany.[12]

Results

The effectiveness of the Transport Plan was evident in German reports at the time. A German air ministry report of 13 June 1944 stated: "The raids...have caused the breakdown of all main lines; the coast defences have been cut off from the supply bases in the interior...producing a situation which threatens to have serious consequences." and that although "transportation of essential supplies for the civilian population have been completely...large scale strategic movement of German troops by rail is practically impossible at the present time and must remain so while attacks are maintained at their present intensity".[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 56.
  2. ↑ Hall 1998, p. 224.
  3. ↑ Buckley 1998, p. 150.
  4. ↑ Mets 1997, pp. 200-201.
  5. ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 52.
  6. ↑ Gooderson 2005, pp. 126-127.
  7. ↑ Buckley 1998, p. 150.
  8. ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 55.
  9. ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 56.
  10. ↑ Campaign Diary March 1944, Bomber Command 60th Anniversary website
  11. ↑ Campaign Diary March 1944, Bomber Command 60th Anniversary website
  12. ↑ de Jong 2012, p. 433.
  13. ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 56

References

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