Grimsby dropped butterflies

[butterfly]

On the night of 13/14 June 1943 the air raid sirens sounded across Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Great Coates signifying an imminent air raid. But this was no ordinary air raid, over 3,000 butterfly bombs were dropped that night together with incendiaries and HE's, leaving 66 people dead and over 1000 homeless. Although not realised at the time this was the first 'area denial' raid to be carried out, never-the-less a blanket of secrecy was thrown down over the entire area, and papers at the time only reported that an air raid took place on the east coast with anti-personnel bombs. The secrecy seemed to work, although it took over 10,000 man hours to clear the town, no raid of its kind was carried out again. (had the enemy carried out such a raid in Southern England leading up to D-Day the concequences would have been devastating. Unfortunatey the butterfly bombs were to claim more victims in the years after the raid. In May 1944 two farm workers were Killed while reaping a clover field and in March 1945 a 9 year old boy was killed in a cemetery in the town, such was the nature of these weapons.

The two bombs in the pictures were dropped during that raid in 1943 and both are missing their bodies and fuzes. This is hardly suprising as in both cases the arming rod indicates that both were fitted with the type 70 fuze!! (the wooden bodies are for show)

The AB23 container is the type used during the raid and held 23 bombs. I repainted it in representative colours, till I can get my hands on some paint which matches the grey/green used at the time. The fuze pocket has in it a 59B which is incorrect- it should be a 79. If anyone has a spare 79 fuze please get in touch, I also need a eye hook (small 50kg type) Can anyone help?

One last thing I would love to complete both bombs back to the configuration in which they were dropped. So if anyone has two bodies SD2B type and also type 70 fuzes (not much to ask I know!!) please get in touch. Thank you.

Hope you enjoy the pictures...

 

[SG500]

Very nice butterfly, good to see some items with history. They have survived very well indeed.

Dave.

 

[satan18]

View attachment 18118 View attachment 18119 View attachment 18120 View attachment 18121 View attachment 18122


On the night of 13/14 June 1943 the air raid sirens sounded across Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Great Coates signifying an imminent air raid. But this was no ordinary air raid, over 3,000 butterfly bombs were dropped that night together with incendiaries and HE's, leaving 66 people dead and over 1000 homeless. Although not realised at the time this was the first 'area denial' raid to be carried out, never-the-less a blanket of secrecy was thrown down over the entire area, and papers at the time only reported that an air raid took place on the east coast with anti-personnel bombs. The secrecy seemed to work, although it took over 10,000 man hours to clear the town, no raid of its kind was carried out again. (had the enemy carried out such a raid in Southern England leading up to D-Day the concequences would have been devastating. Unfortunatey the butterfly bombs were to claim more victims in the years after the raid. In May 1944 two farm workers were Killed while reaping a clover field and in March 1945 a 9 year old boy was killed in a cemetery in the town, such was the nature of these weapons.

The two bombs in the pictures were dropped during that raid in 1943 and both are missing their bodies and fuzes. This is hardly suprising as in both cases the arming rod indicates that both were fitted with the type 70 fuze!! (the wooden bodies are for show)

The AB23 container is the type used during the raid and held 23 bombs. I repainted it in representative colours, till I can get my hands on some paint which matches the grey/green used at the time. The fuze pocket has in it a 59B which is incorrect- it should be a 79. If anyone has a spare 79 fuze please get in touch, I also need a eye hook (small 50kg type) Can anyone help?

One last thing I would love to complete both bombs back to the configuration in which they were dropped. So if anyone has two bodies SD2B type and also type 70 fuzes (not much to ask I know!!) please get in touch. Thank you.

Hope you enjoy the pictures...

Hi very nice butterfly wings you have there with a nice bit of a write up to
70 fuses not to easy to come by but i might be able to help with the bodies,i will have to check what i need to finish mine off.

Best phil

 

[butterfly]

re Phil

Many thanks Phil.
I know the 70's are a big ask, but my theory is, if you don't ask you don't get!!
Also looking for safety clips for type 41A fuze and bakerlite gaines to complete fuzes...??
Would also just like to say what a fantastic job you did on that sectioned 67, enjoyed your write up very much.

regards

 

[waffenamt]

Excellent write-up and items shown butterfly!

Thank you for posting them.
I will keep my eyes peeled for a 79 for you.
Can help you with the safety clips,ive got a few 41A's left out of the swag box i halved with Phil.
btw
'Madbomber',please also get in touch as you forgot to pick those i had for you up at Beltring!

cheers

waff

 

[butterfly]

I include these photographs to show why I am certain that the wings in the photographs had type 70 fuzes. The arming rods on both units have the entire threaded part of the fuze head, obviously becoming detatched during decent or on impact with roof, tree etc. The photos show the difference at the end of the 41 and 70 fuze threads. The type 70 is finely pointed to fit into the slot cut in the driving wheel on that particular fuze. The type 41 shown on the other hand splays out at the end to prevent it becoming detatched when the fuze is fully armed. Hope this clarifies things.

regards Kev

 

[waffenamt]

View attachment 18123View attachment 18124

I include these photographs to show why I am certain that the wings in the photographs had type 70 fuzes. The arming rods on both units have the entire threaded part of the fuze head, obviously becoming detatched during decent or on impact with roof, tree etc. The photos show the difference at the end of the 41 and 70 fuze threads. The type 70 is finely pointed to fit into the slot cut in the driving wheel on that particular fuze. The type 41 shown on the other hand splays out at the end to prevent it becoming detatched when the fuze is fully armed. Hope this clarifies things.

regards Kev

Nice one Kev,
I was going to ask the question on how did you know!
Cheers for posting.


best

waff

 

[butterfly]

re waff

Thank you waff, will be in touch!
Regards
Kev

 

[Madbomber31]

Very nice items, like the AB 23 very nice

 

[poiskovik]

Hi Kev.
Very nice bombs. Can you show more pictures of AB 23 container?
Thanks.
Alex.

 

[butterfly]

Hi Kev.
Very nice bombs. Can you show more pictures of AB 23 container?
Thanks.
Alex.

Here are some more pictures of the AB23. The AB23 held 23 SD2's, 6 in the front compartment and 17 in the aft compartment. They were held in place by steel discs at the front and rear, together with connecting rods, these fell away when the container was blown open by the airburst fuze type 79. Hope you find the photos of intrest.

regards
Kev

 

[poiskovik]

Ouuu nice, thanks a lot.
Alex

 

[butterfly]

Ouuu nice, thanks a lot.
Alex

Your welcome Alex, glad you liked them,
Kev

 

[poiskovik]

Info special for Kev.
About fuzes 41, 67, 70

info about fuzes

SD2 fuzes...........:tinysmile_fatgrin_t

images authorised by spotter following talk with images owner

 

[spotter]

folks just an advisory message the documents shown in the previous posts may be subject to copyright .The author is a member on bocn and i have contacted him to check its ok for his images to be shown on here .The full document on german fuzes is available to buy direct from Erhard Koch at http://www.munitionstech.com/index.html

 

[spotter]

did your container come from the same raid on grimsby ??

 

[butterfly]

re container

Anyway lets get back on topic,,did your container come from the same raid on grimsby ??

Thanks Spotter,
Unfortunately not, but it is of the type used in the raid. I think the AB23 was the container that was mainly used for the dropping of butterfly bombs in the uk, though I'm in the early stages of research on the subject. There were many other drop containers used the AB-24 (24 bombs), AB-70-3 (22 bombs), AB-70-5 (23 bombs), AB 250-1 (96 bombs), AB 250-2 (144 bombs) and AB 250-3 (108 Abombs) though these seem to have been used overseas. The butterfly bomb was also used extensively in Russia (Kursk and Stalingrad) it was also used in North Africa (El Alamein) and Italy (Anzio). It was dropped on Malta too.
The butterfly bomb was also included in containers which dropped flares:- AB 250 KZ boden Container (3 bombs) and the 500 boden Container (6 bombs).
I'm always looking for additional information on the subject.
Hope this was of some intrest
Kev

 

[waffenamt]

'Hope this was of some interest'
Kev[/QUOTE]


Super thread mate! Keep up the good work fellas.

best

waff

 

[SG500]

Thanks Spotter,
Unfortunately not, but it is of the type used in the raid. I think the AB23 was the container that was mainly used for the dropping of butterfly bombs in the uk, though I'm in the early stages of research on the subject. There were many other drop containers used the AB-24 (24 bombs), AB-70-3 (22 bombs), AB-70-5 (23 bombs), AB 250-1 (96 bombs), AB 250-2 (144 bombs) and AB 250-3 (108 Abombs) though these seem to have been used overseas. The butterfly bomb was also used extensively in Russia (Kursk and Stalingrad) it was also used in North Africa (El Alamein) and Italy (Anzio). It was dropped on Malta too.
The butterfly bomb was also included in containers which dropped flares:- AB 250 KZ boden Container (3 bombs) and the 500 boden Container (6 bombs).
I'm always looking for additional information on the subject.
Hope this was of some intrest
Kev

Great stuff Kev, hurry up and write that book please, can't wait to order my copy!
Dave.

 

[Madbomber31]

The Messerschmitt BF 109 E and F can also carrier 96 bombs under it.