Figure 1.--This photograph was taken during the later stages of the Battle of Britain. It is dated October 27, 1940. (This is proably the date the photograph was sent to America rather than when it was actually taken.) The Germans by October were winding down daylight raids because of heavy losses to RAF fighters. We see a group of civilians attacked by a German fighter plsane. The American newspaper caption read, "Caught in the Road by a Raider: According to the British censored caption, these are women and children evacuasted from London who were caught on a country road in East Anglia by a German raider. The women anbd children are crouching in the shelter of a roadside ditch as the Nazi pilot swooped down and sprayed the road with machine gun bullets. No casualties were reported. Passed by the British censor." East Anglia is the area of Britain north of the Channel, jutting out into the North Sea. We do not know how common incidents like this were. We suspect that German fighter pilots on their way back to their bases who still had amunition were tempted to use before clearing the coast. And of course it is possible that there may have been a truck on the road. We do not hsve the full story. Another issue is that low-level attacks like this exposed fighter pilots to ground fire. Luftwaffe formations attacking or passing over East Anlia generally came from groups based in the Netherlands and Belgium rather than France.

The greatest loss of life especially of civilians associated with the air war resulted from strategic bombing. We have dealt with that issue above. Here we want to discuss tactical operations specifically. There are several topics that need to be considered: 1) firing on aircrews that had bailed out of a damaged plane, 2) targeting civilians (commonly refugees), 3) firing on survivors of submarine attacks, and 4) firing on air ambulances. In terms of combat, the major issue here was shooting at men who had bailed out of a stricken plane. Men descending in parachuchuttes were defenselsss and sitting ducks. Hollywood suggests that the German pilots commonly did this. Hollywood hardly a creditable source, but they have left that impression in the public mind. There are reports of this happending and all the major combatants have been accused. This was the case with Battle of Britain, the first major air battle. We suspect that this was primarily the Germans responsible because British pilots bailing out could be in the air the next day. Interviews with Luftwaffe pilots after the War reveal that it was against regulations to do this. Some used the term 'law', but almost certainly they meant regulstions or stranding orders. And they claim that shooting air men in parachuttes did not hapen. Then again we do not know of anyone ever procecuted for doing it on either side. Most pilots saw it as a violation of the rules of war. American pilots described going after German pilots who did this. We believe it occured doing the strategic bombing of Germany. Here the moral issues are clouded because the Allied pilots were bombing German cities. There were many reports of German pilots targeting civilians. Here they were apparent following orders as fleeing refugees clogged the roads and impeded troop movements. We note an incident in which Allied aircraft attacked German submarines rescuing survivors from a British ship they had just sunk (the Laconia incident). During the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command was ordered to attack German float planes marked with red crosses attempting to rescue German airmen downed in the Channel. This order was given because the battle basically turned on the number of pilots. The British were not short of aircraft during the War, they were short of trained pilots.

Bailed Out Air Crews

There are reports of fighter piolts firing on aircrews that had bailed out of a damaged plane. In terms of combat, the major issue here was shooting at men who had bailed out of a stricken plane. Men descending in parachuchuttes were defenselsss and sitting ducks. Hollywood suggests that the German pilots commonly did this. Hollywood hardly a creditable source, but they have left that impression in the public mind. There are reports of this happending and all the major combatants have been accused. This was the case with Battle of Britain (July-Octover 1940), the first major air battle. We suspect that this was primarily the Germans responsible because British pilots bailing out could be in the air the next day. Interviews with Luftwaffe pilots after the War reveal that it was against regulations to do this. Some used the term 'law', but almost certinly they meant regulstions or stranding orders. And they claim that shooting air men in parsachuttes did not happen. Then again we do not know of anyone ever procecuted for doing it on either side. Most pilots saw it as a violation of the rules of war. Actually given the RAF's desperate shortage of pilots, there was a militaty imperative to attack bailed out pilots, but it was not a policy adopted by the Lufwaffe. It declined as an issue after the Germans ceased major daytime raids (October 1940). Later in the War, American pilots described going after German pilots who did this. We believe it occured doing the strategic bombing of Germany. Here the moral issues are clouded because the Allied pilots were bombing the hgeart out of German cities. And the Luftwaffe was down to using young, poorly trained pilots without the same professional standards as the early Lutfwaffe pilots. Many of these young men were enraged at both the Allied attacks on German cities and by 1944 the number of their comrads being shot down by American P-51 escorts.

Targetting Civilian Refugees

There are reports of fighter pilots firing on civilians (commonly refugees). There were many reports of German pilots targeting civilians. Here they were apparent following orders as fleeing refugees clogged the roads and impeded troop movements. There were numerous incidents of this as part of the German Western Offensive (May 1940). We do not, however, have actual verified references as to just what orders were given the Luftwaffe pilots. An issue here is thas there were soldiers and military vehicles mixed in with the refugee columns. We know less about the East, but there are also reports of Red Air Force pilots firing on refugee columns, but are general impression is that here there were far fewer refugees and many more military vehicles. We do not, however, have any detailed references in this.

Firing on Maritime Survivors

There are reports on mostky fughter pilots firing on survivors of submarine attacks and othe naval actions. We note an incident in which Allied aircraft attacked German submarines rescuing survivors from a British ship they had just sunk -- the Laconia incident (Septenber 1942). This appears to have been more common in the Pacific. But it involved both naval and air gun fire. And it was more commonly American actions. Here a factor was that the Japanese refused to surrender. It became commonplace durung the Guadalcanal campaigns (August-December 1942). American air and naval forces sank numerousd Japanese ships bringing soldiers to Guadalcanal. Many Japanese oldiers on the ships that were attacked tried to reach Guadalcanal were not badly injured and attempted to reach Guadalcanal. This was common in the South Pacifice (New Guinea and Solomons) as ships were sunk close to coasts. This issue was less common in the Central Pacific campaign because it involved islands separated by vast ocean areas.

Firing on Air Ambulances

During the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command was ordered to attack German float planes marked with red crosses attempting to rescue German airmen downed in the Channel. This order was given because the battle basically turned on the number of pilots. The British were not short of aircraft during the War, they were frightening shortages of trained pilots. Many young men had to be thrown into the battle with the most minimasl training.

Created: 11:16 PM 4/20/2018
Last updated: 7:12 PM 1/20/2019