RAF Bomber Command

RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF's bomber forces. It was formed in 1936 and absorbed into the new Strike Command in 1968.

Casualties

About two thirds of the 500,000 to 600,000 (conservative estimates are 300,000) casualties of the bombings of German cities died during attacks by Bomber Command. One of the most controversial aspects of Bomber Command during WWII was the area bombing of cities. Navigational technologies of the day, until late in the war, did not allow for much more precisely targeting than a town or city, or at the very smallest an area of a city, by night bombing. All large German cities contained important industrial areas, and so were considered legitimate targets by the Allies. The two single most destructive raids in terms of absolute casualties were those on Hamburg in 1943 and Dresden in 1945. Both caused firestorms and left tens of thousands dead. The Luftwaffe also inflicted severe damage to civilian targets through the use of strategic bombing, including tens of thousands of deaths.

Related Topics:
Area - Bombing of cities - Hamburg - Dresden - Firestorm

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While the idea that the area bombing by the RAF of German cities, particularly in the last few months of the war, represented a regrettable or excessive campaign is widely held, the case that it rises to the level of a war crime is less widely subscribed to. "In examining these events in the light of international humanitarian law, it should be borne in mind that during the Second World War there was no agreement, treaty, convention or any other instrument governing the protection of the civilian population or civilian property, as the Conventions then in force dealt only with the protection of the wounded and the sick on the battlefield and in naval warfare, hospital ships, the laws and customs of war and the protection of prisoners of war."{{ref|No-treaty}}

Related Topics:
War crime - International humanitarian law

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Mention must also be made of the extremely high casualty rate suffered by RAF Bomber

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Command crews, who suffered 55,000 dead and 20,000 wounded. It is illustrative that members of the Australian squadrons of Bomber Command equalled only two percent of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel, but represented 23% of the total number of RAAF personnel killed in action during World War II. No. 460 Squadron RAAF, which had an aircrew establishment of about 200, experienced 1,018 combat deaths during 1942-45 and was therefore effectively wiped out five times over.

Related Topics:
Royal Australian Air Force - No. 460 Squadron RAAF

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Taking an example of 100 airmen :

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55 killed on operations or died as result of wounds

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3 injured (in varying levels of severity) on operations or active service

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12 taken prisoner of war (some injured)

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2 shot down and evaded capture

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27 survived a tour of operations.

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12,726 planes were destroyed.

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