Ground attack incidents involving civilians

[Rolf Steiner]

Watching one of those Dunkirk anniversary documentaries last night, there was some talk from eyewitnesses about Stukas targeting civilian refugees during the German advance (I also recently heard through a friend that during that summer, an aunt of his had narrowly missed harassing fire from a low flying German fighter during the Battle of Britain, somewhere in the Portsmouth/Gosport area). I'm curious about this, whether such incidents were down to the whims of unit commanders or individual pilots, or part of a broader Luftwaffe policy (in which case did allied low-level attackers - as opposed to heavy bombers, I'm aware that's a whole other can of worms - reciprocate?)... or would it more often have been a case of mistaken targets?

[Simon H]

Unless briefed beforehand to specifically attack "a column of troops" that later might have been identified as civilians...

Also down to the whim of pilots. In my own part of the world there were numerous instances of Luftwaffe fighters either "buzzing" farmers in fields, frightening herds of cattle as well as another occasion when two small children, sat outside a shop waiting for their Mother heard the sound of an approaching aircraft. They saw it, waved at the pilot, who waved back!

On another occasion another Luftwaffe pilot apparently reciprocated a friendly wave by coming back and shooting up the high street and the village milk cart!!

Later in the war, when strategic bombing by the Luftwaffe was no longer possible or sustainable the Luftwaffe did have a specific policy of mounting "Tip and Run" raids, giving pilots free reign to attack any "targets of opportunity" that they might come across. Whether some chose military targets or cow herds was done to individuals.

War is made up of all kinds of people...

[PA. Dutchman]

To add to your comment there are all kinds of people fighting a war here is a story I was told about a couple years ago. Then it was confirmed when a friend of mine met both men at the Reading PA. World War Two Yearly Event.

Both the American Bomber pilot and the German fighter pilot were at Reading together a number of years ago. My friend was able to talk to them both.

It is quite a story.

http://www.waltsrchanger.com/html/b-17_ ... _pub_.html

[Rolf Steiner]

Now that's altogether more gentlemanly!