Liveblogging World War II: July 27, 1943
Hamburg after the firestorm: RAF operation 'Gomorrah', 27th July 1943. 40,000 dead:
In an attempt to render U boat workers homeless, Bomber Command launched a massive fire-bombing raid on July 27th 1943.
The raid by 739 heavy bombers was so destructive Hamburg was more or less destroyed by a new phenomenon termed 'firestorm'.
Eight square miles of the city were incinerated by flames of up to 800 degrees fanned by winds of 150mph.
