The Shell House Raid in Denmark

Operation Carthage, on 21 March 1945, was a controversial British air raid on Copenhagen, Denmark,

The attacking force consisted of Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito F.B.VI fast bombers of No. 21 Squadron RAF, No. 464 Squadron RAAF, and No. 487 Squadron RNZAF, from the No. 140 Wing RAF. These were organised in three waves of six aircraft, with two reconnaissance Mosquito B.IVs from the Royal Air Force Film Production Unit to record the results of the attack. Thirty RAF P-51 Mustang fighters gave air cover from German aircraft, and these also attacked antiaircraft guns during the raid.

The force left RAF Fersfield in the morning and it reached Copenhagen after 11:00. The raid was carried out at rooftop level. In the course of the initial attack, a Mosquito hit a lamp post, damaging its wing, and the plane crashed into the Jeanne d'Arc School, about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the target. Several bombers in the second and third wave mistakenly attacked the burning school, thinking it was their target. Sadly 86 schoolchildren and 18 adults died, many of which were nuns.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnhFjSHLHX8"]The Shell House Raid - Trailer - YouTube[/ame]
 
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March 21, 2015 it was exactly 70 years ago. A commemoration was held at the memorial for the dead pupils and nuns. Normally, it´s personnel from the Danish Air Home Guard that stands guard of honor at the memorial, but this year, as a gesture, that honor was given to the RAF Regiment. Wreaths was laid by the British ambassador Vivien Life and Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford. After 2 minutes of silence, people were asked to look to the sky and about 30 seconds later the memorial was over flown by four British Eurofighter Typhoon's which was unusual since flying at low altitude over Copenhagen is usually not allowed.
 
I have heard that the deaths of so many children and nuns seriously affected the aircrews of the raid.

I would have liked to have seen the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight do a fly past, with the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. As far as I am aware there are no airworthy Mosquito's in the UK at the present time.

It has been said that Mosquito Squadrons had a vendetta against the Gestapo.
 
Kesse81 said:
March 21, 2015 it was exactly 70 years ago. A commemoration was held at the memorial for the dead pupils and nuns. Normally, it´s personnel from the Danish Air Home Guard that stands guard of honor at the memorial, but this year, as a gesture, that honor was given to the RAF Regiment. Wreaths was laid by the British ambassador Vivien Life and Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford. After 2 minutes of silence, people were asked to look to the sky and about 30 seconds later the memorial was over flown by four British Eurofighter Typhoon's which was unusual since flying at low altitude over Copenhagen is usually not allowed.
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Expounding upon the Typhoon's. These Typhoon's gave them a good beating along with the P-51's and the Thunderbolt's. My father in law said the Germans in France-Belgium-Germany during 44-45 had to move the armor mostly by night due to the menace presented by these ground support aircraft. Although their armor outclassed that of the allies between our air strikes and their fuel issues they couldn't use it to it's to it's full advantage.

It sounds like a beautiful commemoration ceremony!
 
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