Valentin Submarine Pens - Bombing

Bombing

The Valentin factory was attacked by the RAF on 27 March 1945. The attacking force consisted of twenty Avro Lancaster heavy bombers of 617 Squadron which had, after the "Dambusters" raid, developed precision bombing methods. Simultaneously, a force of 115 Lancasters bombed the nearby fuel oil storage depot in the village of Schwanewede. The bombers were escorted by ninety RAF North American Mustang fighters of 11 Group

The Lancasters attacking Valentin each carried a single, large earthquake bomb - seven carried a 6-ton Tallboy bomb, and thirteen carried a 10-ton Grand Slam bomb. Two Grand Slams hit the target and penetrated about half-way through the 15-foot (4.6 m) thick ferrous concrete roof before exploding. The explosions blew large holes in the remaining thickness of the roof and brought down around 1,000 tons of debris into the chamber below. Workers who were inside the bunker at the time survived, as the bombs did not penetrate the roof before exploding. Another bomb caused damage to a nearby electricity plant, workshops and concrete mixing plant.

Fortunately for the British, the two bombs struck and penetrated the 4.5-metre (15 ft) thick west section of the roof. Post–war, American analysis suggested the 7-metre (23 ft) thick, east section would have been able to resist even the Grand Slams, although not without significant damage, and it is unlikely that it would have survived repeated hits.

Three days later, on the 30th of March, the US Eighth Air Force attacked Valentin with Disney bombs. These were large (4,500 lb (2,040 kg)) bombs with hard steel casings, rocket-assisted to increase their penetrating power. Sixty were launched but only one hit the target, causing little damage. However, considerable damage was done to installations surrounding the bunker.

The factory was abandoned, and four weeks after the bombing, the area was occupied by the British Army's XXX Corps, which captured Bremen after a five-day battle.

The prisoners held at the Neuengamme concentration camp and its subcamps were evacuated before the arrival of the British. Many were placed on board the SS Cap Arcona. This German ship was heavily laden with around 5000 concentration–camp prisoners when she was attacked and sunk by the RAF on May 3, 1945; only 350 prisoners survived.

It is estimated that more than 6,000 workers died during the building of Valentin.