# Bombing of Duisburg in World War II

Duisburg was bombed a number of times by the Allies during World War II. The most devastating air raids on Duisburg occurred during October 1944 when the city was bombed by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Duisburg was a major logistical centre in the Ruhr Area and location of chemical, steel and iron industries, Duisburg was a primary target of Allied bombers. Not only the industrial areas but also residential areas were attacked by Allied bombs. As an entry to the Ruhr, the city received daily warnings of bombing raids in 1943.
In the period 1939 to 1945 the Royal Air Force dropped a total of 30,507 tonnes (67 million pounds) of bombs on Duisburg.

## Battle of the Ruhr

During the "Battle of the Ruhr" in 1943, 577 British bombers destroyed the old city on 12/13 May, with 1,574 long tons; 1,763 short tons (1,599 t) of bombs: 96,000 people were made homeless.

## Operation Hurricane

In October 1944, Duisburg became the main target in Operation Hurricane a joint RAF Bomber Command and USAAF Eighth Air Force operation.
On 14 October 1944 just after daybreak, RAF Bomber Command sent "1,013 aircraft ... to [bomb] Duisburg with RAF fighters providing an escort. 957 bombers dropped [... 3,574 long tons (3,631 t)] of high explosive and [... 820 long tons (830 t)] of incendiaries on" the city for a loss of 14 aircraft. The same day the Eighth Air Force sent 1,251 heavy bombers escorted by 749 fighters to bomb targets in the area of Cologne.
Later the same day, during the night of 14 October/15 October, 1,005 RAF bombers returned to Duisburg in two waves about two hours apart, and dropped a further 4,100 t (4,040 long tons) of high explosive and 490 long tons (500 t) of incendiaries for the loss of seven aircraft. The same night a further 230 aircraft destroyed Brunswick.
During Operation Hurricane nearly 8,900 long tons (9,000 t) of bombs fell on Duisburg in less than 24 hours, but the damage to Duisburg is difficult to assess because much of the documentation including the final report (Endbericht), is not held by the Duisburg state archive (Stadtarchiv). Extant records mention "Very serious property damage. A large number of people buried." and that at the Thyssen Mines III and IV eight days production was lost.

## Chronology

Chronology :
| Date | Air Force | Notes |
| 1941-06-1212/13 June 1941 | RAF Bomber Command | 438 long tons (445 t) of bombs dropped. |
| 1942-04-055/6 April 1942 | RAF Bomber Command | 263 aircraft. |
| 1942-04-0520/21 December 1942 | RAF Bomber Command | 232 aircraft. "The bombing force found that the target area was clear and claimed much damage." |
| 1943-03-2626/27 March 1943 | RAF Bomber Command | a "widely scattered raid" by 455 aircraft during the Battle of the Ruhr due to cloud cover and lack of Oboe marking |
| 1943-05-1212/13 May 1943 | RAF Bomber Command | With good marking and the Main Force delivering concentrated bombing, 577 bombers destroy the old city with 1,574 long tons (1,599 t) of bombs: 96,000 people are made homeless. |
| 1944-11-2323 November 1944 | U.S. Eighth Air Force | Over 140 B-17s escorted by 2 fighter groups bombed the benzol manufacturing plant near Gelsenkirchen and Marshalling Yards at Duisburg. |
| 1944-10-1414/15 October 1944 | RAF Bomber Command | During the morning, 957 Operation Hurricane bombers dropped 3,518 long tons (3,574 t) of high explosive and 820 tonnes of incendiaries. In the subsequent night raid, 1,005 bombers in 2 waves about 2 hours apart, dropped a further 3,980 long tons (4,040 t) of high explosive and 490 long tons (500 t) of incendiaries. |
| 1945-03-055 March 1945 | U.S. Ninth Air Force | Among other missions over German the Ninth flew armed reconnaissance sorties over the Hamm-Duisburg area. |
| 1945-01-2828 January 1945 | U.S. Eighth Air Force | B-17 Bombers from the 34th Training Wingled by Command Pilot Robert M. Simpson dropped 29 tons of bombs while enduring lots of accurate flak |
| 1945-04-1212 April 1945 | U.S. Ninth Air Force | Fighters of the Ninth the supported the XVI Corps as it continued fighting in the Duisburg and Dortmund areas during the destruction of the German armies of Army Group B surrounded and contained in the Ruhr pocket |