Zuckerman Archive: RAF Bombing Analysis Unit

This material is held atUniversity of East Anglia Archives

  • Reference
    • GB 1187 SZ/BAU
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1939-1975
  • Language of Material
    • English.
  • Physical Description
    • 21 boxes; 135 files; 10.5 linear feet

Scope and Content

The BAU was established in September 1944 to investigate and report on the effect of allied bombing on aspects of the German war effort in north western Europe, Solly Zuckerman was its Scientific Director. This series contains correspondence, memoranda, technical data, maps, photographic material, draft reports, multiple copies of finished reports, and bound volumes produced by, and relating to the work of, the Bombing Analysis Unit (BAU). The majority of the material relates to BAU Report No. 43, the capture of Calais, and Report No. 44, the German retreat across the Seine. There is also a large amount of material on the disruption caused by allied air attacks to trains in German-occupied France. Also included are statements from prisoners-of-war, and papers relating to preparatory assaults in readiness for the Normandy landings in 1944 (Operation Overlord).

Arrangement

  • SZ/BAU/1 Correspondence and memoranda, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/2 Correspondence and memoranda, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/3 Correspondence and memoranda, 1946-1975
  • SZ/BAU/4 Air Evaluation Board and BAU meetings minutes, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/5 Bomb data sheets and reports, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/6 Miscellaneous items, 1946
  • SZ/BAU/7 Strafing and fighter/bomber attacks on rail transportation data, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/8 Interrogation of Hans Hoeffner, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/9 Ardennes offensive - prisoner-of-war interrogations, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/10 Rocket projectile attacks against various targets in France during early stages of Operation Overlord, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/11 Air attack on gun positions, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/12 Lectures by SZ at RAF Staff College, Gerrards Cross, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/13 Lecture by SZ at the Empire Air Armament School, RAF Manby, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/14 BAU Report No. 1 - correspondence and memoranda, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/15 BAU Report No. 1 - working data, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/16 BAU Report No. 1 - drafts, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/17 The effects of the Overlord air plan to disrupt enemy rail communications, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/18 Summary report on effectiveness of air attack against rail transportation in France, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/19 Comparison of counts of bombs on photo-cover and in the field, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/20 The cratering characteristics of certain allied bombs, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/21 Damage to buildings by 500 lb. bombs with nose instantaneous fusing, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/22 Ground survey of E-boat pens at Le Havre, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/23 Time taken to re-establish traffic over rail tracks cut by bombing and sabotage, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/24 The influence of air attacks on the supply of locomotives in the Region Nord, SNCF June to July 1944, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/25 Changes in the volume of French traffic, expressed in kilometre-tons, as a result of air attacks January to July 1944, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/26 A ground survey of bomb damage in locomotive depots and marshalling yards, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/27 BAU Report No. 10 - correspondence and final report, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/28 The vulnerability to air bombardment of a coke oven plant, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/29 Air attacks on German headquarters by Second Tactical Air Force June to August 1944, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/30 Survey of bomb damage: Hotel Pour Passagers, Le Havre, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/31 Survey of German gun site attacked by aircraft firing British 60 lb. R.P., 1944
  • SZ/BAU/32 Survey of bomb damage to German 150 mm. Howitzer battery (Caucriauville No. 1), 1944
  • SZ/BAU/33 Survey of bomb damage to German 170 mm. coastal battery, Le Clos de Ronces, Le Havre, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/34 Time of repair of strafed locomotives before and after the destruction of locomotive depots, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/35 Survey of the results of attacks by aircraft on enemy shipping near the coast of France, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/36 The value of napalm dropped from high altitude against fortified positions, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/37 BAU Report No. 20 - correspondence and final report 1944-1945
  • SZ/BAU/38 Napalm attacks by fighter bomber aircraft, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/39 Ground survey of the results of an attack by heavy bombers on a German tank concentration, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/40 Survey of mine-head buildings attacked by aircraft firing British 60 lb. R.P., 1944
  • SZ/BAU/41 Survey of the results of an air attack on HQ Fifth Panzer Army, La Caine July 1944, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/42 Ground survey of bomb damage to 360 mm. coastal battery position at Le Grand Clos, Le Havre, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/43 Survey of bomb damage to German 150 mm. Howitzer battery (Caucriauville No. 2), 1944
  • SZ/BAU/44 The effects of air bombardment of German defences at Le Havre, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/45 The Ile de Cezembre, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/46 The Citadel, St Malo, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/47 Survey of bomb damage to coastal batteries between Le Havre and Abbeville, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/48 The effect of bomb and rocket attacks on the railway bridge at Mirville, near Le Havre, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/49 Changes in the flow of railway traffic in the Region Est, France, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/50 BAU Report No. 34 - notes, drafts, and final report, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/51 An examination of the railway gun positions in the Pas de Calais from Calais to Boulogne, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/52 A ground survey of the results of the bombing of the Bourg Leopold barracks, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/53 BAU Report No. 36 - drafts and working data, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/54 Allied air attacks on railway bridges, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/55 Allied air attacks against rail tracks, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/56 The influence of air attacks on the supply of locomotives on the French railways, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/57 The effects of the pre-Overlord attacks on the Belgian railway system, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/58 An investigation of some gun batteries in the Pas de Calais, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/59 BAU Report No. 42 - appendices, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/60 BAU Report No. 42 - field notes, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/61 An investigation of some gun batteries in the Pas de Calais, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/62 BAU Report No. 43 - correspondence, 1944-1951
  • SZ/BAU/63 BAU Report No. 43 - preliminaries, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/64 BAU Report No. 43 - drafts, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/65 Study of air support in the capture of Calais, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/66 Short summary of Army attack - Operation Undergo, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/67 Army plan to utilise air weapon, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/68 Extracts from miscellaneous documents on T/As, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/69 BAU Report No. 43 - area targets 1, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/70 BAU Report No. 43 - area targets 2, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/71 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 1 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/72 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 2 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/73 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 3 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/74 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 4 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/75 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 5 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/76 BAU Report No. 43 - target area No. 6 field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/77 BAU Report No. 43 - barbed wire field notes, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/78 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point targets, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/79 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 8, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/80 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 9, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/81 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 10, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/82 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 11, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/83 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 12, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/84 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 13, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/85 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 14, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/86 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 15, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/87 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 16, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/88 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 17, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/89 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 18, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/90 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target No. 20, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/91 BAU Report No. 43 - pin point target Bastion 11, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/92 BAU Report No. 43 - fighter-bomber and rocket projectile attacks, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/93 BAU Report No. 43 - fighter-bomber and rocket projectile targets, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/94 BAU Report No. 43 - medium bomber effort, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/95 BAU Report No. 43 - Bastion No. 2, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/96 BAU Report No. 43 - bridge near Calais, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/97 BAU Report No. 43 - allied shelling effort, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/98 BAU Report No. 43 - enemy shelling, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/99 BAU Report No. 43 - casualty figures, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/100 BAU Report No. 43 - count of German graves in the Calais area, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/101 Results of intelligence efforts in Calais, 194?
  • SZ/BAU/102 BAU Report No. 43 - prisoner-of-war reports, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/103 BAU Report No. 43 - 3 Cdn Inf. Div. operational orders for Operation Undergo, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/104 BAU Report No. 43 - 3 Cdn Inf. Div. excerpts from battle log for operation against Calais, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/105 BAU Report No. 43 - 3 Cdn Inf. Div. Signals, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/106 BAU Report No. 43 - Operation Undergo operational orders, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/107 BAU Report No. 43 - Operation Undergo signals log, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/108 BAU Report No. 43 - miscellaneous attack data, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/109 BAU Report No. 43 - photographic cover, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/110 BAU Report No. 43 - bomb plots, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/111 BAU Report No. 43 - maps, plans, and diagrams, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/112 BAU Report No. 43 - proposed Dunkirk survey, 1944-1945
  • SZ/BAU/113 Report on the Canadian attack on Calais, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/114 Report on a visit to Calais to inspect bomb damage and bomb accuracy, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/115 Supporting arms in the assault on Boulogne, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/116 Capture of the Sangatte cross-channel battery (Noires Mottes) by a Canadian Infantry Brigade on 25 September 1944, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/117 Visit of party reconnoitring German C.A. batteries in Holland, France and Belgium from November 20th - 27th 1944, 1944
  • SZ/BAU/118 BAU Report No. 44 - drafts, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/119 BAU Report No. 44 - maps and diagrams, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/120 The German retreat across the Seine in August 1944, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/121 BAU Report No. 44 - attack data I, 1944-46
  • SZ/BAU/122 BAU Report No. 44 - attack data II, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/123 Enemy casualties in vehicles and equipment during the retreat from Normandy to the Seine, 1944?
  • SZ/BAU/124 BAU Report No. 44 - maps, 1939-1943
  • SZ/BAU/125 BAU Report No. 44 - data from French sources, 1944-45
  • SZ/BAU/126 BAU Report No. 44 - prisoner-of-war statements, 1944-46
  • SZ/BAU/127 BAU Report No. 44 - miscellaneous data and correspondence, 1944-46
  • SZ/BAU/128 BAU Report No. 44 - preliminary notes, 1945
  • SZ/BAU/129 Effects on German radar stations of air attacks preceding Operation Overlord, May and June 1944, 1946
  • SZ/BAU/130 Foxholes - survey of dug in positions in Normandy and Aachen/Cologne area. Drafts and maps, 1943-45
  • SZ/BAU/131 Examination of P.O.L. targets attacked by aircraft of 2nd TAF, June-August, 1944, 1944- 46
  • SZ/BAU/132 Survey of bomb damage sustained by the large Noball site at Watten, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/133 The attack on enemy road communications St Vith and Houffalize, 1945-47?
  • SZ/BAU/134 Effects of bombs fused tail instantaneous on light steel frame structures. A study of incidents in warehouses in the dock area at Le Havre, 1945?
  • SZ/BAU/135 Bound BAU reports, 1944-46

Access Information

Please refer to the fonds-level description for GB 1187 SZ.

Note

BG; DNS

Conditions Governing Use

Please refer to the fonds-level description for GB 1187 SZ.

Related Material

The work of the Bombing Analysis Unit is described briefly in Annex V of Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland: The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany 1939-1945, Volume V, HMSO, 1961