Poison Gas kills hundreds

2nd December 1943: The secret cargo of Mustard Gas carried by the SS John Harvey causes widespread casualties - and leads to a cover up

Allied ships burning in Bari harbour after the Luftwaffe struck on 2nd December

There was extensive damage to the harbour area and many ships. Some fires continued burning for days.

On the afternoon of 2nd December 1943 a German reconnaissance aircraft discovered that the port of Bari, on the Adriatic coast of Italy was 'full' of Allied shipping. A bombing raid was quickly organised - and the Luftwaffe hit the port in the early evening. It was remarkably successful - hitting a large number of ships¹ in a surprise attack.

The effects were amplified because two ammunition ships were hit, causing shattering explosions that broke windows seven miles away. A petrol pipeline in the harbour was hit, spilling large quantities of burning fuel into the harbour area. Most seriously the Liberty ship SS John Harvey - carrying a secret cargo of 2,000 mustard gas bombs - was hit.

Then it began to rain. The heavy downpour went on for several minutes only to finish as suddenly as it began.