Introduction
Introduction
By the Spring of 1941 the West Africans campaigns had come to a close with the liberation of The Gambia from the Axis forces that had been invited in by the treacherous Vichy government into French West Africa following the fall of France in autumn of 1939. There was still heavy fighting expected in North Africa, and daily one expected war in the Pacific. Meanwhile the USSR and Germany circled each other, each steeped in distrust and disgust.
It was clearly not time to retake Continental Europe yet, so the Canadian Committee of War began to consider ways in which the Dominion might best assist Allied endeavours. There were already plans afoot to expand the Royal Canadian Navy to provide more escorts for vital convoy duty, but the Royal Canadian Army was unlikely to be much expanded from its current size - at least for several years. There simply wasn't the manpower available. This left the Royal Canadian Airforce, which at that time consisted of a wing of Swordfish planes, which had moderate success only in interdicting Axis supplies to West Africa; and a wing of Hurricanes being used to aid the air defence of the United Kingdom. A second wing of Hurricanes was due to formed up in Nova Scotia for deployment to West Africa.
This was not going to win the war, or even materially contribute to doing so. It would require an actual strike force, were there to be any such chance. The outcome of the Committee meeting on the 2nd February 1941 was the development of a heavy bomber arm.
Some technical research had already been undertaken along these lines, and it was directed that this was all put together in the development of a new model of aircraft, that became the Lancaster B. The first Lancaster B's rolled off the production lines in late May of 1941, but initial production was slow and industrial resources were initially scarce. Indeed it took nearly a year - until March of 1942 - until the first wing of bombers - No.5 Squadron RCAF was formed up for training in Nova Scotia. As was by then standard RCAF practice it consisted of 100 operational aircraft. By late June 1942 initial training was completed and it was deployed to England, ready to commence the bombing campaign. By this time a second Wing - No.1 Squadron - also formed up in Nova Scotia to begin its training regimen.
A few words of the Lancaster B - compared to the initial Canadian protoype the B version had an improved engine - both in terms of power output and slightly increased efficiency, which combined with a slightly more developed arrangement of the fuel tanks allowed a longer range. It also had a greatly enlarged hold, and the entire frame had been somewhat strengthened.
At a meeting of the Canadian Committe for War on the 28th June 1942 the authorisation was given to commence the bombing campaign on the 1st July. It was also authorised to continue to expand the bombing arm, of equal priority to the army and navy. It was also expected that initially the impact of the campaign was to be minor - in and of itself something of a training exercise. Therefore a formal Sub-Committee was formed, which became known unpretentiously as the Bomber Committee. Regular reports were to be made to this Committee as to progress.
It is on the basis of these reports that this Account is based. I have tried, where possible, to divorce myself from opinion and to concentrate on facts. Where necessary I have mentioned other developments in the war, but this account is on the bombing campaign itself and nothing more.
By the Spring of 1941 the West Africans campaigns had come to a close with the liberation of The Gambia from the Axis forces that had been invited in by the treacherous Vichy government into French West Africa following the fall of France in autumn of 1939. There was still heavy fighting expected in North Africa, and daily one expected war in the Pacific. Meanwhile the USSR and Germany circled each other, each steeped in distrust and disgust.
It was clearly not time to retake Continental Europe yet, so the Canadian Committee of War began to consider ways in which the Dominion might best assist Allied endeavours. There were already plans afoot to expand the Royal Canadian Navy to provide more escorts for vital convoy duty, but the Royal Canadian Army was unlikely to be much expanded from its current size - at least for several years. There simply wasn't the manpower available. This left the Royal Canadian Airforce, which at that time consisted of a wing of Swordfish planes, which had moderate success only in interdicting Axis supplies to West Africa; and a wing of Hurricanes being used to aid the air defence of the United Kingdom. A second wing of Hurricanes was due to formed up in Nova Scotia for deployment to West Africa.
This was not going to win the war, or even materially contribute to doing so. It would require an actual strike force, were there to be any such chance. The outcome of the Committee meeting on the 2nd February 1941 was the development of a heavy bomber arm.
Some technical research had already been undertaken along these lines, and it was directed that this was all put together in the development of a new model of aircraft, that became the Lancaster B. The first Lancaster B's rolled off the production lines in late May of 1941, but initial production was slow and industrial resources were initially scarce. Indeed it took nearly a year - until March of 1942 - until the first wing of bombers - No.5 Squadron RCAF was formed up for training in Nova Scotia. As was by then standard RCAF practice it consisted of 100 operational aircraft. By late June 1942 initial training was completed and it was deployed to England, ready to commence the bombing campaign. By this time a second Wing - No.1 Squadron - also formed up in Nova Scotia to begin its training regimen.
A few words of the Lancaster B - compared to the initial Canadian protoype the B version had an improved engine - both in terms of power output and slightly increased efficiency, which combined with a slightly more developed arrangement of the fuel tanks allowed a longer range. It also had a greatly enlarged hold, and the entire frame had been somewhat strengthened.
At a meeting of the Canadian Committe for War on the 28th June 1942 the authorisation was given to commence the bombing campaign on the 1st July. It was also authorised to continue to expand the bombing arm, of equal priority to the army and navy. It was also expected that initially the impact of the campaign was to be minor - in and of itself something of a training exercise. Therefore a formal Sub-Committee was formed, which became known unpretentiously as the Bomber Committee. Regular reports were to be made to this Committee as to progress.
It is on the basis of these reports that this Account is based. I have tried, where possible, to divorce myself from opinion and to concentrate on facts. Where necessary I have mentioned other developments in the war, but this account is on the bombing campaign itself and nothing more.
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