Two days ago information has been presented in the PL media that 5,5t bomb was found in the water channel from Baltic to Szczecin, South of Swinoujscie.
There was only one type of such a weapon dropped there in WW2 and it was on the 16th April 1945 when 18 Lancasters from famous Dambuster Sq escorted by two RAF Mustang Sqs attacked Kriegsmarine's Lutzow anchored at the a/m channel (mouth of Odra river actually).
Thirteen of the a/c dropped the Tallboys on the ship, the rest were armed with 12ea 1000 pound bombs. Explosions caused serious damages to the hull which settled on the bottom but little to the armament and big caliber guns were able to shell advancing Soviet Army troops on which request the 617th mission was planned and executed.
One Lancaster was shot down (flak was reported as "intense") and the whole crew were KIA. The site of crash is marked today by a monument built by the Polish just after the war, the remains of the crew were finally buried in Poznan BCWC.
What happened to the fourteenth Tallboy ?
It was reported as "hung-up" by the crew of one of the a/c and when it was fixed the whole group was already heading back to their base. On clear order of the Commander "drop it on a town down there" the bomb was dropped.
I have a good , well documented little book written by a Polish Historian which provides a lot of interesting details about the raid, history of Swinoujscie (then Schweinemunde) Kriegsmarine base, etc, etc, also as seen through the eyes of the then young German Lutzow seamen. One of the account says that when it was clear the bombers were heading for Lutzow her CO ordered to abandon the ship by non essential personnel which was done in panic. Information about Tirpitz fate was well known and for sure it was not a morale rising factor.
So the authorities of the region have the problem and various solutions are considered.
Not all with the unexploded stuff there.
I was on the seaside at the a/m Swinoujscie Spa (lovely touristic place) in August this year and enjoyed good weather on the beach (being slammed from time to time by my beloved wife when my sightings were set on the technical features of various bikini designs and construction ) when the loudspeakers announced and kindly reqested the tourists and local population for not entering the chanel area of 500yds each side on next day because the Navy would transport unexploded ammunition to a sea disposal area.
That happened to be the British aircraft launched Mark VI seamine. Said to be dropped from Mosquitos for precision. Couple of eeks before another one had been found and taken for disposal.
Regards,
GD
Tallboy found
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