Butterfly bomb (anit-peronnel bomb) raid on Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England
Orsino
his head blown off when the Luftwaffe dropped these anti-personnel bombs.
They were aimed at the docks, as Grimsby was an important destroyer base for
the Royal Navy, but some batches fell over residential areas.
There is a defused 'butterfly' bomb in the local museum. It is a small
cylindrical device with small wings coming out of the top, which caused it
to rotate and fly more slowly through the air. Nasty.
--
KWA
"Butterfly Winter". It was a fictionalized
account of this raid and dealt with the RE's problems of ridding the town of
the numerous bomblets scattered about.
--
Martin Clements
Hi,
The book "Danger UXB" by M J Jappy and based on the Channel 4 series
has a chapter on butterfly bombs in Grimsby and Cleethorpes on June
13th 1943. The main points are:
- Grimsby population was 92,000 with its port being used for
minesweeers, stores and fishing. Industry was largely assembling
transport for US servicemen based in the area. The Germans may have
thought the concentration of men and equipment was for D-day.
- Raid and aftermath saw 66 dead and hundreds maimed or injured.
Grimsby hadn't had a raid since August 1942, as nearby Hull was a more
important target.
- 23 planes made 3 attacks, firstly dropping incendiaries and flares,
then 18 tons of high explosives. These attacks set part of the town
on fire, including the port and paper mill. The third attack saw
thousands of SD2s (2 kilo butterfly bombs).
- The butterfly bomb contained only 225 grams of explosive but would
kill within an 80 foot radius, and maim within 500 feet. 23 bombs were
packed into a cylinder, which opened at a preset height, releasing the
individual bombs. These were about the size of a baked bean tin,
encased in a light steel jacket which opened under air prerssure to
form wings to slow the bomb. Despite this, the force of the bomb
allowed them to penetrate roofs and houses, but not to get buried in
the ground.
- The main problem was that the bomb looked more interesting than
deadly. Many people picked them up, and were killed. Some bombs were
fused to go off on impact (to scare people), but the others were the
ones to cause casualties and confusion. 14 people were lilled by them
during the raid, but 43 were killed in the 2 hours following the
all-clear. The rest were killed over the coming days and weeks.
- The crater left by an exploding SD2 was very similar to the entry
hole made by a larger bomb going underground and failing to explode,
so the bomb disposal teams were inundated with reports of UXBs. There
were also thousands of SD2s in streets, trees, telegraph wires etc.
The town was paralyzed as people couldn't move without passing near
the bombs, which had a very sensitive anti-handling fuse. Even laying
sandbags around the bomb could detonate it.
- 3 dozen UXB officers were sent to Grimsby and Cleethorpes. A
central control logged bombs reported by the public, but no methodical
search was carried out for some days. The countryside around the town
was also littered, causing death to livestock.
- One problem was how to tell people of the dangers of the bombs
without using the press and alerting the Germans to the success? ARP
wardens used word of mouth. A display of defused butterfly bombs was
set up in the market, with large posters warning of the dangers, and,
as an added warning, a boot containing the unfortunate owner's foot.
- SD2s were exploded in situ where possible. In the open they used
sandbags and then straw bales. Efforts were made (at some personal
risk) to protect houses by using ropes and pulleys to remove bombs.
This was not just to protect property, but also to prevent news of the
effects of the raid getting out.
- 2,250 SD2s were dealt with by UXB teams (60% of those dropped).
Many were found over the weeks and months. The drama series "Danger
UXB" screened in 1978 prompted more calls to UXB teams - a gamekeeper
had often wondered about a funny metal object hanging from a tree in
one of his woods!
- 242 casualties were suffered in the raid and by handling bombs
afterwards, although this was not a firm figure.
- Butterfly bombs had been used in October 1940 against RAF Wattisham
near Ipswich. No reason is given why it was almost 3 years until the
next use of them, although they were regularly used against military
formations on the Eastern Front. After Grimsby, massive training was
put in place to counter further attacks, especially against D-day
build-ups. Although another 11,000 SD2s were dropped, these were in
scattered attacks over London, Kent, Essex, Sussex and some RAF and
Army bases. No such concentrated attack as Grimsby took place again.
- One suggestion why the rais was not repeated is that the raid was
unauthorised - Hitler had banned their use against Britain in 1940.
This was presumably because he did not want his invading troops
(presumably in 1941) to be met with his own anti-personnel weapons.
Later, Germany was concentrating on V-weapons, and may not have wished
to be diverted from this path.
- The lucky fact that a UXB unit was near Grimsby on the night, and
able to deal with the attack quickly, efficiently and secretly, meant
the Germans did not realise how effective the attack was in terms of
damage, injury and dislocation.
Hope this helps,
Martin Clements
--
Carey Sublette
airplane laid antipersonnel minefield.
It is notable that these devices were not in general use in urban bombing
raids in the war. The Grimsby raid involved really a very small number -
about 3800 or 7.6 tonnes. The allies could have dropped similar mines by the
millions.
Carey Sublette
--