Nice documentary on The Shell House Raid during WW II

Thanks Jon Yes working now,sorry for the late reply. Just one point would the photo have been taken from one frame of a gun camera or still shots?I have seen similar before and wondered what would have happened to the rest of photos/film.

I think I recall reading somewhere that there was cameras fitted at the rear of the planes – looking backwards.

Maybe others can confirm this – or suggest otherwise?

I am not sure whether there are yearly memorials on the date.

No, almost no time to react, when you fly in heights around 40 feet with speeds in excess of 250 miles an hour….it helped, that there was no buildings in front of the Shell House from the side they attacked from, thus getting a free sightline for the last 300-400 metres.
Also I have read that the building on the corner of entry on the lake was very recognizable, being erected in bands of yellow and red bricks in alternating, broad bands.

Jon

I hope so.

Jon

Thanks Jon Yes working now,sorry for the late reply. Just one point would the photo have been taken from one frame of a gun camera or still shots?I have seen similar before and wondered what would have happened to the rest of photos/film.

Jon:

Thanks for the notes & photos & map you’ve supplied here..really helps many of us gain a better understanding of the route and location of the attack. Not much reaction time for these crews to see the target and attack it. Do they ever hold any sort of memorial gatherings during the anniversary of the attack ? BlueNoser352 says thanks for the great historical notes here! Have a good day Sir!

I hope so.

Jon

Hi Jon

The attachments are showing as invalid. Don’t know if its just my computer or if anyone else is having problems, would like to see these.

Are they working now?

Jon

Hi Jon

The attachments are showing as invalid. Don’t know if its just my computer or if anyone else is having problems, would like to see these.

Yes, I know the area well – my parents live just on the other side of the lake, and I grew up where the Mosquitos flew over the lakes after doing a 120 degrees turn, repassing them to avoid the flak from the german cruiser in the harbour.

The original Shell House (“Shellhuset”) was totally destroyed, and a new building erected in 1950-51.

Danish Wiki here:

http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellhuset

Here are 2 maps, I have made, based on information from the exhaustive book “Operation Carthage” by Sasbye and Mahler:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]216120[/ATTACH]

This shows the respective routes after they split up over Ringsted, group 1 (with Sismore and Kleboe) following the coast, groups 2 & 3 the very straight “Roskildevej”.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]216121[/ATTACH]

This shows the routes in close-up – Kleboe hits the lamppost, veers right, a hinge from his tail falls in “Palnatokesgade”, he releases his boms to gain height – only 3 seconds after hitting the lamppost! – thereby destroying a house on “Søndre Boulevard” and finally crashes in garages close to the French Shool at Frederiksberg Allé. The remaining 5 aircraft hits the Shell House precisely as planned, turns left and heads northwest.

Here is a pic from that group, taken seconds after they passed the Shell House, which is the building at the extreme bottom to the right, smoke (or rather just dust, as the bombs hasn´t exploded yet).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]216122[/ATTACH]

Groups 2 & 3 – including the aircraft form which the shown footage stems – passes the Zoological Garden and Kleboes crashed airplane, mistaking the smoke from its fire for smoke from the target. Most of these aircraft slightly missed the Shell House – when they eventually crosses the lake, they were approximately 100 metres too far to the left.
Only wing commander Iredale and flight lieutenant Smith from the second group hit the Shell House, all aircraft from the third group except wing commander Denton, who realized the mistake, bombing the school and the block behind it.
As can be seen, they make their turn after that, goes up along “Nørrevoldgade”, turns more and crosses the lakes again, passing over “Fælledparken”, where a Mustang crashed, being hit from flak.

Jon

http://www.journeyman.tv/64367/documentaries/the-shell-house-raid.html

Jon: Thanks for the comments Jon……. hope one day to see this location for myself ! I thought the producer did a nice job of getting some great vintage resources together for this production ! I first read about this years ago in an issue of ‘After The Battle Magazine” ! The shots of Te Sismore through the years was amazing to see, a talented man for sure and his comments really added much to the production. I spoke to the director of the documentary over a year ago , delighted this production made it ouf for public viewing . I beleive he came to the Uk to show the documentary…. I believe he tried to locate the member of the resistance who was being grilled by the Gestapo and escaped when the Mosquitoes hit the building !

Very daring plan for sure and much sadness about the chlldren being killed in the school and the loss of men on the raid … I take it the building ( Shell House ) is still there ? The book ” The Gestapo Hunters ” is a really fine book on the efforts of the Mosquito crews to rain down some major hurt on the Gestapo ..with these low level raids . This and the Amiens Raid are two WW II topics I enjoy researching and reading about here on the forum.

The comments by Mr Sismore are most touching when he speaks about the comments he heard from the parents of the school children lost in the raid ! Very powerful indeed and speaks volumes to me about the kind of man he was. Thanks for your information you gave here…… good stuff on the attack !

Maybe if some of our readers live in Copenhagen they could take a few shots of the building and memorial and post it here…… would like to see them ….!

“Fortune favors the Brave ” !

A salute from :

BlueNoser352

Very fascinating documentary – I haven´t seen the Sismore interviews before.

There is, though, a minor fault in the documentary – in the animated film strip, the Mossies are coming over the lake, as the first 5 did, the sixth, piloted by Peter Kleboe, having hit a lamppost moments ago and at this time heading west towards its fate near the French School at Frederiksberg – but then the cartoonist has lost his sense of direction and lets the bombs enter the building from the side pointing towards the railroad tracks at Vesterport. Now a bronze propeller blade is mounted on the side of the building where the bombs went in, besides a memory plate.

This first flight of 6 came from the south, following first the coastline, and for the last kilometres first the raillroad tracks and then cut diagonally across the lake.

The other 2 groups of 6 Mossies followed another route, coming directly from the west, using the totally straight road from Roskilde as a guide. Unfortunately, Peter Kleboe crashed right on their line of approach – with devastating tragedy at the school being the result.

Had Kleboes plane clipped the lamppost with the other side of the tail, he would have probably veered to the right and ended up either in the harbour or on Amager – in any case way out of line of the other two groups.

Four metres more to the right when he hit that lamppost – and the school wouldn´t have been bombed. Interestingly, as Sismore says – that might have meant more bombs hitting the Shell House – and as a result, more dead Resistance leaders….

Regards

Jon

Excellent very well made, and moving documentary of this event. Thanks for posting. Agree some very moving comments made by the navigator. This is a must see.