A scene beyond imagination –
McMillan: Bombs ‘shake the world’ to break Nazis at Caen
Volcanic spouts of flame, giant funnels of smoke rise in wake of huge raids
By Richard D. McMillan, United Press staff writer
An observation post near Caen, France – (July 18, delayed)
The whole world seemed to shake. Volcanic spouts of evil-looking yellow flame spit from the ground. Gigantic funnels of smoke swirled into the sky.
It was a scene of unholy terror that spread over Caen in the wake of the greatest aerial assault in history. No man, even in the wildest flights of imagination, could envisage that scene.
More than 2,000 bombers had rent the earth in an attack which brought 8,000 tons of high explosives showering down on German troops just south of Caen.
It was like one mighty fist sweeping from the sky that cleaved a flaming path for British troops in the breakthrough at Caen.
The assault left a huge smoke pall 50 miles wide, 20 miles deep and five miles high whirling slowly in the pink dawn around the battlefront.
This display of airpower – the greatest obliteration feat ever undertaken – must have been a terrifying onslaught for the Germans in their trenches. And it should have been convincing proof that a continuation of the war could bring only death.
British bombers opened the attack as a yellow sun began climbing through rose-colored clouds. The first bombers were divided in two forces – 450 Lancasters taking the steel factory southeast of Caen, another 450 Lancasters and Halifaxes picking a string of villages.
They dropped 2,000 tons of bombs on each target, where the Germans’ big guns had prevented the British troops from reaching open country. But that was only the first stage. The next part came after the volcanic mass of smoke and dust was allowed to drift eastward.
Then Marauders swept over to rekindle the smoldering debris. The smoke by now was soaring into the air, spreading in an ever-growing pall. It had a deathly sickening smell.