The biggest World War II bomb ever found in Poland exploded underwater on Tuesday as navy divers tried to defuse it with a remote control device. No one was injured in the explosion.
During World War II, the British developed the tallboy, an “earthquake bomb,” designed to be used against large, heavily fortified structures. It also proved to be very effective against ships. The 12,000-pound bomb was packed with 5,200 pounds of high explosive and could only be carried in specially modified Avro Lancaster heavy bombers.
On April 16, 1945, RAF heavy bombers attacked the German heavy cruiser Lützow with tallboy bombs near Świnoujście, Poland. One of the bombs, which missed the cruiser, remained buried in the middle of the main shipping channel of the Piast Canal for 74 years. The bomb was discovered during the preparatory works for deepening the Świnoujście-Szczecin fairway in September 2019. The attempt to defuse the bomb resulted in the explosion.
The Piast Canal connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River on Poland’s border with Germany.
Left a lot of dead fish.
From the Dambusters website:
16th April 1945
Today saw fourteen 617 Sqn. Lancasters carrying tallboys and four carrying 12 x 1,000lbs bombs escorted by mustangs from two other squadrons (442 & 611(RCAF)) for fighter defence. The Sqn ORB reads:
16.04.45 Eighteen aircraft operated against a shipping target at Swinemunde. Most aircraft were holed by flak. S/L. Powell failed to return. Aircraft was seen to receive a direct hit and went down out of control. One parachute seen to stream at about 2,000 ft. (Fauquier felt sure that after the last two abortive raids and the long run in involved that fighters would be ready for them this time. He asked for and obtained a long range fighter escort. There were no fighters but ferocious flak which holed most of the aircraft and downed Powell. Prinz Eugen was not present but there were some close misses on the Lutzow although the results were not clear at the time of the raid. Powell’s port wing was hit and fell off, the aircraft spinning into a wood near the target, killing all the crew. The bodies were buried on the 18th April in the Caseburg Friedhof at Swinemunde but were exhumed in 1949 and reburied at Poznan Old Garrison cemetery.)
In memory of John Leonard Powell DFC
Squadron leader 103039 pilot 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Age: 29.
Additional information: son of David Albert and Elizabeth Powell, of Rhos, Glamorgan.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of Henry William Felton DFM
Flight sergeant 1809630 Flt. Engr. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of Michael Terence Clarke DFC
Flight lieutenant 151151 nav. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Age: 22.
Additional information: son of James Kilian Clarke and Evelyn Muriel Clarke, of Farnham, surrey.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of Alfred Laurence
Heath flying officer 148768 air bomber. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of William Knight
Pilot officer 195713 air Gnr. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Additional information: son of Thomas and Edith knight; husband of Phyllis Mabel knight, of Croydon, Surrey.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of Kenneth Arthur John Hewitt
Pilot officer 188618 W.Op./A.G. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
See below for cemetery details
In memory of James Watson
Flying officer 174282 Air Gnr. 617 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died: Monday, 16th April 1945.
Age: 24.
Additional information: son of James and Rebecca Watson, of West Linton, Peeblesshire.
Commemorative information: Poznan old garrison cemetery, Poland
Grave reference/ panel number: coll. Grave 5. B. 1-5.
This was the last operational flight and the last loss by 617 Squadron of the war.
RIP.
Thank you for the additional information @Peter Wright, it adds a lot of context to the story.
Saw the movie or documentary about the dam busters, good flick.
At least this bomb did not kill or destroy any local population. Tho I am sure the canal is much deeper in one spot now.
Thank you, Peter Wright. While this modern incident is enjoyable and even amusing, the history, and the people, behind it, are what really matters.