115 Squadron

29 December 1940

Wellington Mk IC - T2465 - KO-O

T/O Marham 1717. Target Hamm, Germany.

The Marshalling Yards at Hamm

One German place-name has recently become very well known to all of us; Hamm.
With its marshalling yards, Hamm has become one of the stock Jokes of this war.
It is not so well known why the R.A.F. take so much interest in Hamm.
To the R.A.F. Hamm is the nerve-centre of German rail transport, and consequently
one of the most important targets in Nazi Germany.

The vast marshalling yards -you and I would call them "goods yards"- can receive about 10,000 railway trucks and make them into
trains every 24 hours, and a train of 50 or 60 trucks can be broken up and sorted for unloading in less than seven minutes,
and that's pretty good going.
Through the yards pass almost all the minerals from the rich Ruhr mines to all the rest of Germany,
and most of the manufactured steel from the steel and engineering works of the area, as well as the incoming raw materials for those factories.
They cover an area about four miles long by nearly a mile wide.

Source: trove.nla.gov.au/ - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Friday 27 December 1940 - 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan

ORB. 29/12/1940. Target - HAMM - BOLOUGNE.
4 aircraft (took off from 1725. hours to 1855. hours) from this Squadron were detailed for Operations.
3 aircraft returned safely to Base after the Operation,
A/C. 2465., P/O. SALMON and Crew failed to return.

The weather throughout the Operation was extremely bad, and severe icing was experienced.
Only 1 aircraft located primary target, the remainder either brought back bombs or jettisoned in sea.

2230. 3 aircraft had landed safely after Operations.
O.T2465., Pilot, P/O. SALMON and Crew did not return.