_____-

*
-~PJ

BRITISH -BOMBINGRESEARCU MISSION

z.e

S4CifN

8j.

2=

cc.C.

3. v).i

D.J. URmcauds and FP. Taller, L3c.

Lt. Col. 1.1. AND%3CZ, uL 3*., (Geological notes)

P.Ao 3&4&J*A

LUe.,

H. Guoss

G. FArtliiy and

Rcm* Se*mrity, Research~ andi Mqe Amets Dopaxtmtu~

Investigating yarty dispatced. by& B..9, UL. -Fobruar.

1945

44.

aI.--

NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING TH NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE LAWS, TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTIONS 793 and 794. THE TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LA
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1.1 Oriwi

Loation jL. bank of A. Seine,

Purpose

Figs.
-

V.1 boib::ui V.l bomb -asml ofvi Units

1.2 St. Le. d91seercznt

lR. bank of R. Oise,

1-2
--

1-10
U-12

30 miles 1. of Paris.

1.3 Zrossy St. 'ZAmlinI L. bank of At. Oise, 1.4 Ta&wrney 1.5 Umatrlobard * 1.bocheerbm 1.7 St. Nest | 1.8 hamr, (St. Pierre) 1.9 Thil (Longwy)

30 miles N. of Paris.
Wa0 iles N. of Paris

(Possibly-oil)
& -boar Ing factory - up 3
-

13 14

I Loire & Cher, 24 miles xMitioes store

-o

sres Y. r lto Sure ofot R. ]NI. of Chartres alsommltiotns bomb -- V. l store f V.I bomb factory

10 miles NoM of at. Pal. Frsna*-Luzsmburg border.,

15-16 17-24

4-7

2.

CC',CLU5ICNS

A.

C..3L& I

A:'OYI

.7 vWLI&4:3u1LtrY No AIA

M1iACK

3.

LISZ OF

SECFRET
r. 7'-

G0111L ~ W Ce *~ ~

VCU~cJ1 LJUD auow$~t3

C4UZ3 13 MUU AND

LUX.-.UBITAS

* storage or mjiataoture, all but one or W*i-* were oestablih'd in exiatin! quarry' w'tauaOl or m1n3s. A partial survey of the St. Loe d/sseren workinj4s was made, _ulse this place was subjected to air attack, the results of which are disouused. A sketch plan shows the entrance to tunoels at Taverney, where SK.X.. ball bearings were being -ado, and plans of a 7.1 bmb factory in an Iro mine in Luxmburg are
inCluded. Brief accounts of the remaining six places, which were visite4 in passing, are SivenT The report, wblb Is aocompanied by 7 figures and 24 photographs, cenaludea with a section in whioh are analysed the thickmese of overhead cover deemed adeapate by the Oemans, the minimun qse oa bomb likely to be effective in caming dam.e inside the tunnels when penetrating the surface over the tuhnlled area, sad the form ot air attack ihich, as a remit of examfoation of the sites, senm Likely to prove the most eofectivo In egah case.

This reort deoibeos nice underground places used by the lermans for

1.

2043 %X FwAIU VUZS

At CiwuL, about nine miles south-west of Romu at the foot of L ohlk cliff on the banks of the Seine, the Ogeana were preparing whet the local inhabitants understood was to hbve been a store foer V bomb. At this point the .1II terminate in a vertical cliff over 100 ft. In height, leaving a narrow ribbon of land between the cliff and the river. approximately 100 yd. in width. A number of houmes existed within 70 ft, of the cliff face and between them and the river ran a road. tht. 4O.rna, In order to exploit the existing caves, excavated the ground between the houses and cliff to a depth of 3 to 4 ft. and laid a concrete road. Us houses were left intact and the inhabitants allowed to live in them. The Imcrete and all new work were heavily caaouflaged in the normal mLner. The workings, which could not be Inspected in detail, caeisted of several headings driven into a cliff. sany of them do not extend veri far into the cliff and were used for stores of petrol, etc. Protective walls built of 14 in. brick were observed at the entrances to these short tunnels. In the entrances to the two .ia; tunnels, however, substantial rasonry walls about 6 ft. thick, making doglegged entrances had been constructed. These main workings could not be inspected so the presence or otherwise of furt-her malls could not be ascertained. 1.2 St. Lou i'Esserent .1 sum=ary

This site, situated in a limestene escarpment alose to the Oise, was attackid by a mixed force of 200 Halitenes and Lancasters cn the ni;ht of 4/5 August, 1944.

In this attack, SCO3 lb. arA Tallboy

(Ua) bombs were used.

".'.lhough "A.
,:'eXs

n"--.er

"lt.rou;-*' were obtair@e4 into %n upper sirLes or oonnoeted

|clse to

:i '.ntnoe

:-s -aL- *,ork .Us "."J beer, littla a&'teCts4 by, t.o ro..t cr s*.,&11-..* -.t -x%k b'4.itn.- A.uins llU s.z~o~ tt ~ rilo
.'r , .

a.'r,nt .d lkrictlv to

b. o. d.

6xtrsts from Iotres of Air Cufl.nrArro C.![.H. Bilney, 0.3.J..., oert Ind Ureat s bembed by A~mber Coflu. nd. Zaterpretatit,, report Uo. X 070( dated 27.7.44.

'n

Note on aia examination of tortain bombed targets in Franou 3=2/415. In addition other .ol.,itl data were available, and interpretation from air coverbad boon made by Ministry of HRom Security, A. 4 M. Department (20.6.44).' .3 Sito and general desoription

The carroer (tunneLled quarry) used by the Gormuis is situated below the oelcaliro gossir supdrieur In the caloairo grossior moyen et Inf~rieur, which is a sof* oedium-gralnad limestone, 0-10 m. t-hi.* , in the western escarpment an the banks of the Olso. The escarpamnt at St. Lom is some 120 ft. hi;h, and the entrances are approximatey 40 - 50 ft. above the floor of the vaille. The oarriare, originally started in the. 10th contury for quarrying, was used before the war for mushroom growing. The stratum worked appears to be th3 "ban oSt. Lour' which is a hmaoeneous coipact bed about 5 a. thicks honce the galleries vary from about 3 - 5 m. in height. The quarrying was done on the "stoop and rocvP-sys~tm, leaving pillars 3 - 5 a. square. In most places the roof appeared to be sound and free from spalling. Vertical shafts approxivately 2 ft. 8 in. in diameter were driven down to the tunnels for vent.atin purposes. In addition to this series of tut"els, another and maller series existed over the southern halt of the main galleries. After 19$0 the Germans used the lower caves for storine btmbs, and constructed a concrete road up to the 1ad tg point, together with a railway line running parallel to the now road. Gantries were constructed to facilitate the discharge of goods from the railway to road trucks. The railwuy and roads were heavily camouflaged with vuire nattibg covered with bnashwood. In addition, before the carriere was used for V.1 bombs the who).l floor was concreted. Reinforced concrete gun emplacomente were erected at the, two approaches (ihoto raph No. 1), and heavy concrete doors erected across the northern or mainentrance (fhotographs-oNs-2 and 3). The part of the carriers used by the Germans was only a small port ion of the whole systems, the factory being sealed off from the vain systm by cement rubble walls about 2 ft. thick. The total area was approximately 700,000 sq.ft. of which about half was taken up by oolurna left in to support the roof. There was also evidence in acme places thlt rubble walls had boon built close to the escarpment, where the cover was not so great, to give greater protection to the rest of the. factory. The-open-air vents, constructed by *e French, had betea sealed off on the surface by concrete blocks, the open vent being replaced b.-. four sIaller vTnts issuing out of the side of the block. ror dotails cr tvi
.1 '.s3

layout oa tne h

atory see ?ies. I and 2.

of t.,o tuanols
,unnols wers used for the asse.,ably of' the main units or

'h3 lcvesr lovel

'l,.'In- bombs.

-,non-nts woera broui-ht up by rail and discharGed into trucks

.7i: " ln~llv ily':,:r t..1Ito 1,10 factory. Tho assembled flying bo.ibs units ..ero takon out ;,'r-n 't on lorijs for trwnsforonce to the forward areas. ITo i.Jlication of t!, u* '1.,. , 'aotory, coul3 'mo ,iund. h.l .... z,'" ,-'-'loy,,, a "A tha 3.r-,ats wYor. said tao !,'%va beon ,ussiaa Anl

x.

3r

SECRET
-3 to. only 40 t., dv,. to subsideone into the top series of tunnels over the first .CO ft. froa the q'n',raero. This sibsldenoe -^s of o14 4ate, as were seviral other wa*l*r dopr'sasins on.the top of the escarpmant, The cover Increased u. tunngls entered Into the hill. to about 80 ft. as t'.W 6 Protjoti't- wells

Thore was no lndication orfthe use or blast or protective walls, other than.6 those which had boon built close to the ad,,. of the osvarpmmat, as already notsit The factory was sealed from-the rest oe' the carrier, b/ 2 ft. rubble walls. letvink, Crids spproxta 4oely 76he. vontilation shafts. zor4 similarly *s*led o0'4, 3 t. square, cl.ose to rook level. The main entrance was protected b1 two solid concrete doors in steel frames 1here was each 15 ft. 6 in. by 9 ft. b,/ .3 ft. thick (Photoeraphs los. 2 and 3). no lndicatio.a of any other icro. 7 Attacks

Gn the nirt of the 4/5 kuw:,ust, l9I4, 3ember Comand attacked the site with 2M0 Lancssters and lHaliLfaxes zarryinS lOO and 500 lb. bombs to.-,sthsr'w1.th 11 lallboys (IL). E. Numerous hits on the target ara were obtained by the 1000 and 500 lb. bodb., The latter was of but only one Taliboy (M) crater could be found- In the v.oinity. normal dimonsions (I0 rt. b-- 30 tt.) but it was not over .the portimo of the carritre used by the Cermans 8 Result of the attacks

The whole area from the top of the esoarpment to the river Oise was covered with craters. Over the southern halt of the factory arba (whioh, It must be remembered, is in the lower level tunnels) there were soveral ethrouChs" Into the These are shaom in doetfl In Fie. 2 and Ian-hatocraphs upper level tunnels. lHoe. 5 - 8. It ias evident that at the date of Inspection (6 months after the attack) they were ofr a veorr ruch larger site than they had been when first made. 7h.e cover near the esoarpmt at crater No. I was 24 ft., and at crater I1o. 4 it was aproximately 35 ft. the upper "ad burst abovo the roof ori would seem likely' that tha bombs SIt ghere was also a very laree area (south of level tunnels end blown through. This that used by 4he Gor ans) of subsidence into the upper series of tunnels. The area was not exanmined In detail heoluse it was In a protective minsfield. cover over this section was less than that already not.d over the romainine rosition. There were indications ofi minor subsidences without axuy apparent trace of bombs. It was evident tbat this portion o07r the uinper serios of tunnels w-as rolatively unsafe, since subsidences had taken place naturally. Crcm bime to tLn-e
h, the past. .

The rloor. ci the lower series of tunnels u...jd b-', the Garman was littered In An inspection or the roof uortain places by awall ani. larce pisces or limestone. It vms L-possiblo to rilato the usually revealed so.-e weak beddin: plane.
minor Calls Wi any s2ocific bombs, or even to the bombin:- at all, since tho Zorrlans a omolitions by blowin- up the remainLig flyin.- bo-bs !%ad carried out oxtonsive Th- falls mi-rli be attribur.bIe '.,aeoro departure (&ea Photographs .os. 9 and 10).

to the lblaat trcn thj

these bom!'s. ~Ixl~ns0ion orC

...n,..t or not ' is,)Ca"llss vorim in:fld by bombi th'." wore s3tat.d 10," the nor-AlI;(. '..ork [i th tutnnls, "which co:ntinuv. ''n%Veo hIAl 1ILLe aff'fot 4'n

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4e

This was. toind to be t.h casv. AA upper series of taruliels existe. whi*h "Throughs haW been obtained into the upper. had not been used by the Garjusas. level tunnels. -but the blockaes caused wore only looal,.and the damage was oonfined to these"isolted areas in the- upper level tunnels. .10
and Conoluslams.

The attack showed that 1000 lb. bombs are adequate for oaus-ag subsidences throughs'e into tunels, covered with up to 35 ft. of top soil and limestone, but that they are inetflotive against tunnel* with 60 ft. of soft limestone cover. To gain Wny success apinst a target ot this nature Tallboy (9) boube wouid have to be used, and eves these, &part from being dropped orer the main entrances so as be or limited use, since in tunnel systems so interconnected to blook than, weiv it would always be possible to go round auy local blocks and falls. penetration before detonation Tallboy (U) shoulA be fused to ensurp maxim Zn any case, Mhence there should be no objection to. using eveu ii sea. delay. however, it is unlikely that Tallboy'(U)'would penotrese far enough into the 0 ft. *f soft limestone cover for serious blest effects from detonation to ocourinside the lower level tunnels. 1.3 Trossy St. haIhaimn

This. open quarry, with old tunnel quarries below, is on the left-hand of the river Oise, nearly opposite St. Lou d'Ssaorent.. A quick Inspection was made when As shwi on route for the latter site, during which no measurements were taken. in Photographs los. 11 and .12, very large diameter shafts, lined and'rooted with thick reinforced concrete, were being constructed by the Germans through tbe Therelatively thin limestone cover over the top of the old quarry tunnels. appearance of the work suggests that large storage tanks - possibly for oil - mere to have been installed. 1.4 Tavemey (visited'cm 2.3.45)

-/

At lavernoy, about 10 miles north or Paris, there is a eatensive system of oAdle caloaire grossierO fran a double entrance on quarries taumollod into n faoe which rises to about 120 ft. at about 130 ft. in from level ground into a cliff The overhead cover consists of the entranoo (see Fig. 3 and Photograph No. 13). layers ot marl and thin-bedded limestone. The Gemans converted paet of these tunnels fbr use as a factory, and ,.1.1 ball bearing works in the souh of Paris. transferred there plant tram thi It is understood There is no evidence of aq/ air attack on the Taverney tunnels. that at the tims of the Allied Invasion the marufaoturs of ball bearings had been started, but that the Germans destroyed all raterial before ovacuating Pris. A brief inspection of these tunnels, which are of the high gothic orose section ccc--n to the Paris carri~res, showed that the Germans had oonstructed'oonarete portals at the twin entrances (camouflaged by nsttinit, now destroyed), and lined the two parallel main tunnels, which run straight in fcr two or three hundred yards without any rom of blast protection, with concrete for the first 130 ft. - L.o., At various places the canezions to where the overhead cover approaches 100 ft. to side chambers end other tunnels had been walled up - possibly to regulate At soveral plaoes in natural ventilation as well as to enclose the factory area. French said vere oil fires the factory area there is evidence of fire (whi:h lo:l These fires, in some casss had caussd in which the Cemans destroyed material). utnes rhe French said also that a Cam s~all-off and fAlls of rock from the root'. and boo'by traps were left in tle tunnels 5y t0-e 0erans, tut that *tohsewere *rs'moved by the :;i Army whou the rtmitins of t~hi pl:%at wo~re b@L'r, te~n miut.

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5-

which or-s In srt limestone (pierrs de ogair*) are understood to exten4 fr abut 6 kn. -;Aer.the hills, the main eatrance to the portion usie by the Germans (see

Photograph No. 14) betsy, ahlot 2 miles east ati Moatri,7hard, a ftw hundre4 yards up a Practically all building stun*e tor 1oa1 usa tu-in-tho-north- ot road4 .40. l oft In ,and has been for ssatuies, obtained by tunnels being used subsequently for wine storage and the cultiaion o to

A brief Inspection ot the tunnels used by the Comans was =&do on 9th ltarch, 1945, which on arrival of the party, proved to be under Fresch military guard, 3tom despite information to the coatrary from the militar/ authorities in Tours. persuasion was rejuired to gain admittance under escort, and sinae it was not possible in the orowistancee to take measrweents, much ot the Ilnormatimo hereunder should be accepted with reserve, since it was obtained from local French oivilians.
.2 Description

The Gormens utillsed about 00,000 8q... of floor space and closed oft the Substantial masonry piers area by- I =-. thick masonry waitnut In oement mortar. were built at places to shorten excessive root spans.
The tunnels appear to run In haphazard directions with frequent cros3 oonnexions. They are rectangular in section, averaging 4 a. wide z 3 a. high, There is access for lorries to a loading bay about 50 m. within and are not lined. The Germans did not erect blast doors er traverses presumably since ('".he entrance. -the existing deviations from the straight of the tunnels at and beyond the entrance were deemed to give sufLiciiet protection. The overhead coyer isa t'-ut 20 a. thick at a point a short distance within the entrance, and riss to a waxisum of' about 40 d. (of which the upper 15 :. is clay see below). During the inspection the tunnels were observed to be still full of munitions, Bonbs of modium and small sizes both German and (doubtless captured) Froch. (suol. as 50 kg.) appear to predominate, although there was much A.A.. and A large stock of French 75 ra. shel1s numerous hand grenade* were lying about. was noticed, it being said that thesi tunnels contained as many as 100.000 of them. 3 Demolitim

The U.S troops arrived on 8th September. 1944. The Grrmans had loft an the Lot September, after having attempted to blow up this arsenal on 20th August by At the tl o detonating bombs and charges at various positions in the tunnels. jo" our visit the resulting root falls and tunnel blocks were being laboriously cleared by French civilian workers - a hasardous procedures since munitions of all sorts In a number of places the tunnels are lay scattered about beneath rook Mls. completely blockd, so a ocmplete tour could not be made. As a result of the demolition A large disturbance in occurred. ,ihere the Srount consists of 15 m. The tunnel roof', was inspected. explosions several blow throughs to the surface the surface, which was said to be in a position clay, and then 20 m. of awt limestone above the "rench said that in these explosions L-mall bombs

were e.44oted which. in falling back, made small splash Orators ir 1he vicinity of This is itprobables it is much mors likely that these o=all the main craters. auxiliary deprossions were causad by rises from the explostons eicapinS under pressure throuqh flastxes in tha ground. 1he ,:un jur'sca o-ir the tunnel "asa used by the C3mrtls tsrbad wlro 1 vi trolil_*i nicht by soldiers with b'sto TA-jug.. was r Lnr,'l with Or~"or 3-A1e a: ths

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Ooln'., pvoraps 40 V;. from-& tun~nel.

L4 proba1l no ,roster han teat of .er v-,god 3haklk, an s&M $na the observed eortelts of ?allboy (u.) la the nhalk aboyc the extensiTe tunnaLLtng, dmne by the Gerrans in the Pas d,alais area (e.g.. 't-14Mrquisoi-Mcmyooquoe an4 at .Tiecrneo - seo report Ilo. 88101/7.-- 2 R#0437) iAd1cato tho-rootraolsl occur In tjnnoele when the r@4itus Is up to 410 ft., it may be conadluded that turniels In ground such as that at ZUotriahar4, sad with similar overhead cover, could be bloaked by ?allboy ().. 1.6 Roohooorbon

Thq r.,litstnce or 01i Ver iort limosistemot

.. DeosripI*fw
These tunnels, at Vauvert, near Rocheoorbon, which are near the. right bank of the Loire about 6 miles above Tours, could not be inspected inside oing to the absence of the French military g'uard in possession of the key to the wooden entrance doors. Conversation with other metbers of the guard, and with local French ciilians, elioited the following The cart of this tunnel system used by the Cermans extends 300-40 M. Into the hillsie, -and oonsists os three straight tunnels which diverge from the double entrance. A oross gallery at the Inner end connects the three *uneols and is about 40 a. long. The cross section of each tunnel is about 5 m. wide and 4 a. high. Lorries can enter a short distance as far as a loading bay. The overhead cover is nearly all soft lImestone. JQierre friable",, Opierre de maiier', epierre tondreW), with very little top soil, the'thioknoss over.the tunnels varying from 30 to 30 m. The Cermans used these tunnels for storing bombs and other munitions in the sae way as at Montrichard, walling off oonnoxions to the rest of the very eztenslve system of tuniela. Early in August, 144, the Gormans prepared to demolish the tunnels and their continte by plaging at various points fourteen 1000 kg. bambs, wired up ready for tiring, each bomb being surrounded by 250 to 350 boxes containing 500kg. banks (without deteontors). .On 10th Angust, 1944, a French colonel, with the ascistance of a local eivillan (who imparted this inforzmtion to the investigating party) mede a breach in the enclosing wall within the tunnols, entered the Germn section, and removed the detonators (Odfssuarceroet) from the fourteen large bombs. This was not discovered by the Germans, their guards in the tunnels being kept well supplied with Vouvray Ia local champagne) so that when they tried to blow the tunnels prior to their final departure an 3rd Soptember. the demolition was averted. At the time of our visit an Oth 3arh. 1945. these tunnels remined stooked -with munitions as left by the Germans.
.2 Conolusions

-'

The entrance to tunnels used for storing ammunitions, as at Rochecorbon and Mcntrichard, even without camouflage, would probably be difficult to discover from air cover, since they are similar to.many thousands or entrances to eaves anS tunne?! in the very extensive troglodite regions bordering the Loire river, and the Vienne, Cher and other tributaries. Air attack with Tallboy (9) would probably cause' local blocks in the tunnels where the thickness of overhead soft limestone cover is loes than about 125 ft. (Notes this was not exceedei at the two places observed as having been used for large munition stores by the Germans in this region). Ch the other hand local blockages would not necessarily put a large proportion of the depot out of action.

Blast attack on entrances would not be likely to be catastrophial but blocked en"trancos would delay ineress and egress of munitions until a new entranoce had been' =Ja throu,-h a 3ui-.Able unused tunnel - an undertaking whiah miGht not entail more thnn a farv days work.

1.7

3t. Frait

.1

."

1.,

SECRET
ionv straight main tunnel 6.5 a. wi,'e by abo..t Tho storage so.ecion .. ohprse's

5.a5.

high reatasgiular sectioa; with vnaoretod flo&r. from whi,3~t

run side

iilar siza, rAping an average tatl wlidh of about 50 is. ga.ll,,ri~s anq bay* of Lorries could unloa4 under "oovsr Ans14e the entrance. aebout 30 concrete foundations 1w-the variovi, side tunnels aid bays there measurinS approxim-tely 15 ft. x 15 ft. x I ft. 6 In., having cupped receses is. the top which, loc-a French said, siuaprted largo aluminium tanks, the latter having been removed In lorries by the Germans when they left. lines a quantity of pressed metal auxiliary petrol tanks for aircraft were observed it is possible that the tuadels wore used principally an an aviation petrol store. Various Germa miettlems rookin in these %anwls. including crateeand usersted 50 kg. So.D bambe, .A4. orated Sprengbrad 0.50, 3.1.3 and 3.2.3- inceendiary bombs. The 14tter appear to be in a dangerous conditioms Indsed, the local geudarin stated that lives had been lost through ma exploesi whioh occurred when children were playing In these tusele after tIe Oermans left (there is a roof and wall tall nearby which has the appearance of having been caused by an intermnl explosion). Che Telleraine (T.42 Stahl) was neotled. The eatraenc securely. .2 C. to these tumsls is aloeed with barbed wiret though-not very

Coenelusime

There wmano evidence of air attack om the vicinity. the thicnesas and nature of the overhead sver ere such that roof falls would probably be caused by 1000 lb. Me. delay fused bombs. .1.8 Haabert (St. Pierre)

This forward T.1 bmb store, about 10 miles north-oat et St. Pal (Pas do Walais), is approached by a eonereto road about halt a sale long. Tat part of the tumnel systom which could be Inspected conaists of four tumels driven into rising. round (marly chalk), with cross galleries (see Photoraph No. l5). The entrance tunnels, hhish vary la width from 10 ft. 3 in. to 8 ft. 4 in. and in beight from-9 ft. 10 in. to 8 ft. 4 in., rum straight into the hillside for about 06 ft., and are lined with concrete. ?be mall lining is of pre-east conereste blocks 18 in. thioks the roof is arched, the lining being in-situ concrete 16 in. thick.

SBeyond

the lined sections all tunnels were found to be blocked by root fall$ which, according to local inhabitanits, were caused by the removal of timbering, since the Germans left, by a coal mining coapny for use an pit props. The overhead cover risen to about 20 ' t. at 256 ft.. tram the entrances, and is noi. m-oh more over the storage part of the tunnels inspected where it was estimated that there is about 5 ft. of top soil over 15 to 20 ft. of chalk. The sito had been bombed, a direct hit having obliterated one of the tunnel entrances (see Photograph 16). However, no bits appear to have been mde over the tunnelled area, the subsidences il the surface above almost certainly eaing due to the root falls which occurred on removal of the timbering. The inhabitants stated that the Germans launehed the V.A bombs trom a wood at Farfay, about halt a mile from the tunnels, that an appreciable proportion of the bombs exploded soon aftor launching, and' that launching site was dorwolishal by the Ger,,*no the day before the British Army arrived in September. 1944.

1.9 .1
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The mAno, the commerciul name of whiosh Is. '1* Mines do Is C-daaessft 49 TiorcOleyt a Ih~lb, was workv4 unlil I1kras, 1944 when it woo taken over by the Germans, .2Desriptica The G6Aiwne set up the factory Ina portion of thkals. whre. the existing phone.l were large enough for machine abops, Steo, thip asly structural work Involred being the laying of concrete flows.. A plan of the layout tos haem In *Fig. So which together with Figs&4. 6and I were prepared bron plans supplied by the Fireach officials at the mine. The outtlag leading to the entrance, vhish has reinforeed retaining mile from 5 Mft. tA ft. 10 In* thick by U. ft. 3 bre high, is shown In Photograph No. 1?, and to Fig. 4. The reinteraemeat proeceting from the tops at the retaining walls suggeets *hat for a distance of about 90 ft. from the estrange a reintoreei easorete slab was to have bees constructed csp thw tqs. rom Fig. 7 it is evidest that it ma Intended to run a standard pup railway track a distance of. about 1600 a. Sate the main astiase tusel. to a tranapshit station. The tuninel bad been wideoed at two places for the ecustruotiep at loading bays,. bt owing, It mes stated by the Froush, to hiaroie waft roof falls Wa occurred, gausIng tunnel block@ at both plasesea Seakiaus %,rough the afte are shoun In 71g.. 4 and 6, sbeme It Is seen that the oveih*ad obver varies fftm 36 ft. at'the twoel emtresee to about 250 ft. over the factory area. Inside the maebin shops and storage p3.lsries it~ma obeerved inc luded drills. lathes, silling soehines, welding plant, grinders, puint sprayers, and varions V.A bam oimpn Memts uch as wing sect ions, pressed steel body eset ions, assembled tail nite, eampreesed air spheres, mrhoods (wit-hoat chrges). and mnowous unidentified wall parts (Photographs Nos. 1s - 22). Mar Installations obsarved were orhead ventilating dusts, comressed air and water pipes, sad electricity cables. . leotris power wase said to be supplied by overhead cable, from Mi1gerille, but the key electric pleant for t%6 ares was at Pienne$ 32kg from ?hut. No provision for margensy powe supply was seemt In the aite. there wore no proteotive doors at the tunnel entrance, but the great length of the approach tunnels and the general layout of the galleries It the factory area would have greatly reduced sany blast effects in the factory from explosiCns In or near the tunnel entrance. On the surface above the factory are of the mite work had been started, on nine vertical shafts, the largest of those enbig1 t .b if n seotion Inside timbering (Fhotograph No. 24) ?he plan details of the top of another of these shafts Is shoan In Fig. 4 (Photograph No. 23). These shafts were also being driven upwards from the tumels below, and ftlls hack occurred at some of them. It seems possible, In view of the- single eatranoe tunnel, that theme large shafts may have been Intended, apart fran ventilatiom, to augmnt the means of ingress for raw materials and agress for finished products.
It was stated by the French ths*t no loes but this shoeuld be sacepteI with reserve. than 80 or these shafts were projecteal

In additien to the 9 vortieai shafts under construct ion a oanpletsd steel-linad inalind .huts frr,.i the surface lom~ to the t zensl was notcd. This was used f~or ag ro-ates required C.-r concrete work.
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SECRET'

The cover aier the fac;ory ar*& andl the reater part Of th'en4tran-!e tunnel is rAoh too thick for penetrat ing bwombs o-sany tpe In operetianal use to have .. asi.d any damage in the tunnels. In air attack on similar places therm-is the possibtilty of bombs falling down open ahafts, and Ir fused for iong delay (e.g. It see) serious damage might However, in the case of this foatory In the Th.l mine, with its result. uncompleted shafts and single entrance tunnel, at least a tenpera"y stoppage of production would have resulted from blocking the entrance cutting and t,'nIl portal, for which purpose 500 or 1000 lb. NCo or G.F. bombs would have sufficed. ,he entrance tuanel itself use'probably vulnerable to Tallboy (2) In the first 400 Nevertheless, or 500 ft. -of its length, where the overhead cover is not exoessive. the blocking of the entrance would not haver taken very long to eleir - certainly not more than the 3 weeks which it took-the Germans to clear the Sauxur railway tunnel block (see Report No. IBBW.12 0 R;.,440)s moreover, there exist other On entrances to the mine which might hae been adapted and used In an emergency. the mhole, it would seem that air attack- on-such uo4erground fastorles where the overhead oiver is ivulnorable, attention should be paid to entance*, access roads and railways, and to sources of-power supply (e.g., in this ease to the Pienne power station). .5 Geological note on the ironstone mines at Thil

The Upper Liae of Lorraine'oontains a rich bed of ironstone which is worked The ironstone .formation over a wide area both in galleries and in open quarries. inoludes, besides the mineral layer the Nioaceous )-rls (5--.. -25 m.) above and The formation is Upper Lnsso Shales with Pyrites below (1 a. - 25 a.). At considerably In thickness and in its constituent beds. iaYlng lentiotlar, la C0to Rouge It is 27 a. thick and is composed of five beds, all worked, making At the other end of the Lalugy Basin, near a total of 16 a. at mineral ore. Generally the Carey it is not are than 4.85 a., and appears as a single bed. rook tends to besilioeous in the west and-alaoareous in the oast. The Ironstone is present as colitic grains and is usually exploited when in a bed more than 1.75 m. thick, containing 30 per cent iron, with some latitude In acoordine to whether the non-ferrous mineral is oalcium carbonate orsilies. the Briey basin there are six beds, mneed fron thie top dcwn, Red, Red, Yellow, Usually only one Red bed is present, the Yellow may be Grey, Black, Green. The Grey bed is the most regular and missing and often also the Black and Green. It varies in thiokness from 1.80 m. to is normally the thickest and richest. 9.60 m., and generally yields 30 - 40 per cent iron in 2 m. - 4 n. thickness. Richer beds are known but they are the exception. The ironstone mines at Thil are galleries driven into the hillside south-west The suocession ot Thil to exploit that part of the fteld underlying Tieroelet. in this area is as followssPlioaene Jurassia
-

3) 2)

Ihd. & gravels -aJocian (average 50 m.) a) Sacoharoidal & Coralline limestones b) a) Coliti3 & crystalline yellowish or rust acloured lLnestcnee iranular, Shelly I sandy yellowish limestons with rarly intarcaletions iroy and ,-: ,n " Wl.:* naris

ji~r.ssLa

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The prva-ipaL o.ncalusions to be drafn tro. this report are with rerard to the ;ypen of uwerrr;'und places the Corr-ns v4e0 for manufacture and storage, the thlikness of overhead cover in vsrtous soils which were considered ade'qate, &ad For this what. form mf %Ir attack would be likely to prvve the most efrectlie. purpose an a~alysis Is given in Appendix 4 (Table 1). At seven of the-nine places inspected existing quarry tunnels had bean adapted, and of these seven only the relatively =all munition and petrol store in the chalk tunnels at St. Prest had overhead cover of a thickness likely t4 be vulnerable Xnoidestally, to bombs In operational use smaller than the Tallboy (M) 12,000 lb. the use at existing tunnels has th" additional advantage of making air cover identification more difficult, particularly in riverside localities such as those bordering the river Loire and its tributaries, where all suitable cliffs and hillsides are riddled with troglodite workings. The V.1 bomb factory in the Irom mine at Thil, in Luxemburg. my be considered to be proof aGainst any botb in so tar as damage to the tunnels by bombs penetrating In such a case It weold appear that to attack the ground above is oncerned. entrances, communications and sources of power supply is the only method justifiable. Zn the case of -umition and oil stores with a penetrable thicknee& of overhead cover it my well be preferable to design the attack with a view to bombs detomting For example within the tunnels, rather than to cause spelling or tunnel blockages. whereas a 1000. lb. 1.0o or G.P. bomb exploding in the ground above the St. Prest tunnels would probably have caused a blockage, a 2000 lb. &.A#.? bomb might perforate by Impact, and even the comparatively a=all charge should result in serious secondary effects in view of the nature of the contents of the tunels. Ch the other hand, the cover over thed munition store in the Roohloorbon tunnels is too great to have been perforated by impact, so in this *ase the choice is between blocking the tunnels by Tallboy (M), and attacking the entrance with smaller bombs.

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POOHUAW.3 L= OOF N. I 2 Place

Date
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St. Loa d'1asereint

Feb.1245

Paaoram showing a~proa Iun iaplaoement an loft.

road and esc7mmst. 'Nt

St.

'...

.,essorent Feb.1945

The Main entrance to lower level tunnels. actual entrance seen Is blocked, but there another opening o the right (see Vheto..No. 3). hMk entrance to lower level tunnels, showing evidence of hit on cliff tace by esmll bomb which threw dos one of the heavy concrete
doors (see also Pho. o. i, 2). kA entrance to the upper level tunnels.

In

St. k-n A* asesreot

Feb.1945

6
6 7 8 9 10 11

t. Lou d'Eaeeront

Feb.1945 Feb.194" Fb.1945 Feb.1945 Feb.1945 Feb.1945 Feb.1945 Feb.1945 Fob.1945

t. Lev-diBisront

Crater No.2.
Orator No.3. Cr.'ater Mo.4. Crater No.-4

Subsidene to upper leve

tunnela.W

St. Lou d'Eserenrt St. Lou d'Esserent St. Leu d'Ueserent St. Lou d'Naserent St. Lou d'Sseornt Trosey-Ihxinin Trosay-Mallmin

Subsidence to upper level tunnels.' Subsidence to upper level tunnels... Subsidence to upper level tunnels.x

Trolleys for V.1 bcmbs in lower level tunnels. onto V.I bomb inside lower level tUanell Roo ftl caused by enemy demolition. General view of shafts under constructioi Note shallow depth of cover over tunnels. Close-up of shaft showing relnftroment beog erected for thick reinforoed concrete walls end root, suggesting an underground storage tank. Twin entrances to the tunnel* used by the Germant for S.o.F. ball-bearing manufacture. Entrance to munition store, partly demolished by the Goraxna by Internal charges which blew through to the surface above. Two of the four entrances to underground V.1 bomb store. Underground V.1 bomb store. The entrance on the left was damolisho4 by a direct bomb hit. Entroce cutting, showing concrete retaining wells, and tunnel ertrince to iron mine used by Germans for V.1 bmb factory. und of electric rallway at about 2 k-I. frrm entrance. at beeinn3nr oft V.1 b-mb facto-r arxa. 'I4% h ns sh,.,. ''", .zt: tu'n,.,

i1

13 14

Tavernay Montriohard

Mar..1945 Mar.1945

15 18

Raimbert (St. Pierre) Rai %rt (3t. Pierre)

'Mar.1945 Mar.1945

17

Longwy (Thil)

Mar.1945

IS 1.

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Y.ar.1945 r

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place Langy (Thui) Lcqr (Thil) Date Ikr. 1945 ar.1945

- 13 -

Caption 7,1 baib warheads. Wing unit in right.

Vop o1'-nearly completed shaLt dwn tv*'t. bomb factory in liron mine below. IXtr such shafts wet obsorved9 though it wa. sald that about

At

timess this number mere projecte.

24

Longwy (Thil)

Mar.1945

T:of me of the- lariest of the 6 shafts ft. 7

purpose of these shafts, &part from ventilation my have beon for ingress of' raw materials and/or

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WAWERGRO9JNhD VA. FACTOR~t AT THIL. IRO~NSTONIE MINE

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Photo 1. Panoraira inhoxin& ap?.roaih ro~i and escarpmnst. espla~emont on left.

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Photo 2. M~ain entrance to lows,, level tunn-1ls. The actual entrance seen is blocked, but there is another z-mening on the right (see photo No.3).

Photo 3. 1,kin entrance to lower level tunnels, showin!: swidenco% of' hit on cliff
face by srmll bomb which

threw down one or the heavy concrete doors (see also Photo ~lo.2).

A's,

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silance to u:!')l

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in lower 1.3val tun-hils.

Photo 8. "r-Atar No.4.

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Photo 17. htranoe outting, showing oonorete re-aIMtn walls and tunnel entranoe to iron mine used by Germans ror V.o bomb faotory.

--

Photo 18a hd of eleotrio rail. way at about 2 km. from entraneo, at beginning of VAI bomb faotory
areaL

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Photo 20., V.l bomb tail units.
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Photo 21. V.l bomb air bottles,

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Photo 22. V.1 bomb warheads@ Wing unit on right.

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22 - 31 32

33 34, 35 & 36
37

Bobezr Comad D. Am. D/&A U.S.S. !.A.P. 8th U.S, Air Paroe S.N.A.LF. (for AxC. of S-A2 aid B.A.U.) Operational j.elmaroh Section A.C.S.L A. W1ar Office JD. Air) F(.of Air Co-ordinatio. ) Soientific Adviser to War Office U. S. S. B. a. Naval Air Attache U.S. Embassy lkilitary Air Attache U.S, Ambassr U.S. Air Evaluation Board

8 a 39 40 41 & 42 4,03

~44&

46
47 48 49

45

51 - 52 53 & 54 55 56 & 57

M.ini.t.ry of Economio Tartare (Mr. 0. Lawreno) Ministr7 of Foom Security, Intelligence Bran Lord Cher-well, War Cabinet Capt,. I.. Pranks, R.N. Adviser on P.A.D. a C.D., p.LA.F. Lt. Col. S.LH., Daw, P.A.D. & C.D. Section, A.P.H.Q. Civil Defence Liaison Officer, American Enbay o..3. M.r. 1.S. Dorftann N.D.R.C. (US.A.) 117, Park Street .Adv'anced Headquartera, D.B.R.,L

M.A.A. P.

58 & 59
60 61 62 63 & 64 65 & 66 67 - 70 71 -75 76 77

B.-31R-1. (PILE)
3yares hell by DB.R..

78
79 - 108

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nuibewac 1)12 115

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1
121

Glanvile, O.iP., (Dirotor, Rod Research Laboratory,

Dr. David Aeromn, (q/o Tim Zutitution of Civil Engineers, Gt. George Street. aLl.l)
Orftasoe Board

122 - 123
124

9c
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DIRECTORATE FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND SECURITY REVIEW 1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1155

e~v A Aj8/c

Ref:

98-M-0165/A1

This refers to our letter to you dated October 7, 1999, regarding your appeal to the Information Security Oversight Office for 14 documents previously requested under Mandatory Declassification Review procedures. One document (AD346727) was provided to you by our letter dated November 19, 1999. The review of 11 British documents you requested is complete and there are no objections to release. Titles of these documents are contained on the enclosed sheet and a copy of each is enclosed. We will advise you as soon as the reviews of the remaining
-in rxAnr.1impnt n p" rnmnleted

Sincerely,

AT0o-5 'q7

H. J. McIntyre Director

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