Berlin Again

31st August 1943: A rear gunner's grand stand view of the illuminations across the night sky over Germany - as the RAF once again visits 'the big city'

A pilot's view over the two starboard Merlin engines from the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster of No 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, August 1943.

A Lancaster crew of No 467 Squadron, RAAF, at Bottesford, Leicestershire, preparing to set off for Berlin on the evening of 31 August 1943. They are, from left: Flight Sergeants J Scott, G. Eriksen and A. Boys, Sergeant C Adair, Flight Sergeant B Jones (Captain), Flight Sergeant J Wilkinson and Sergeant E Tull, RAF, the only Englishman in the crew.

Berlin was the target again for RAF Bomber Command. The almost complete destruction of Hamburg had given confidence to the view that bombing alone might win the war. Another shattering blow must surely persuade the Germans that they faced ever more destruction across their homeland if they let the war continue. The German capital was the obvious target to get the message across.