Air Marshal Arthur Harris was appointed head of RAF Bomber Command in February 1942. He quickly concluded that losses suffered in daylight raids by heavy bombers were far too high and that his vision for the future would concentrate on a campaign of intense area bombing by night using large numbers of bombers and improved radar. He put his views into practice on the night of 30 / 31 May 1942 when Bomber Command launched Operation Millennium, its first 'one thousand bomber' raid. The target was Cologne.
Assembling a thousand bombers, however, had been far from easy; the Admiralty had refused a request from Harris for the Hudsons of Coastal Command to take part and with new heavy four-engine bombers such as Stirlings, Halifaxes and Lancasters still in short supply, a large proportion of the force consisted of stalwart Wellingtons. Making up the numbers were troublesome Manchesters, aging Hampdens and Whitleys, including aircraft and crews drawn from training units.
The damage inflicted on Cologne was immense and the news that Bomber Command could manage to put over a thousand bombers into the air for a single raid was a much-needed tonic for British morale, even though two further raids were marred by the loss of nearly 50 aircraft, many of which had been manned by trainees. Until more crews could be fully trained and more heavy bombers brought into operational service, raids involving such large numbers would, for now, be shelved.
Internationally renowned for his exceptional drawing skills, artist Richard Taylor has provided us with Operation Millennium, a stunning piece depicting the composite make-up of aircraft types participating in that historic raid. Reproduced in restricted quantities as a fine art Limited Edition print, each copy is issued matted to full conservation standards to include the original autograph of Arthur Harris who masterminded Operation Millennium, along with seven World War Two veterans, each representing the different types of aircraft flown on the raid.
Signatures:. Only TWENTY copies are available worldwide, each mounted to include a museum-quality reproduction RAF brevet badge and a total of EIGHT veteran signatures:
Air Marshal Sir ARTHUR HARRIS BT GCB OBE AFC - Operation Millennium was his initiative and the first to use the Bomber Stream directive to overwhelm the German night fighter aerial defenses
Flight Lieutenant WILLIAM ROBERT 'BOB' HUGHES DFC AE - Wellington pilot with No.149 Squadron
Group Captain DRANE LOWE CBE DFC AFC - Hampden pilot with No.49 Squadron
Air Commodore DAVID 'DIM' STRONG CB AFC - Whitley pilot with No.166 Squadron
Flight Lieutenant JOHN PETRIE-ANDREWS DFC DFM - Halifax pilot with No.102, 158 & 35 Squadrons
Wing Commander ERNEST RODLEY DSO DFC AFC AE - Manchester pilot with No.97 Squadron
Group Captain BILL FARQUHARSON DFC* - Stirling pilot with No.115 Squadron
Warrant Officer HARRY IRONS DFC - Lancaster Rear Gunner with No.9 Squadron
Air Marshal Arthur Harris was appointed head of RAF Bomber Command in February 1942. He quickly concluded that losses suffered in daylight raids by heavy bombers were far too high and that his vision for the future would concentrate on a campaign of intense area bombing by night using large numbers of bombers and improved radar. He put his views into practice on the night of 30 / 31 May 1942 when Bomber Command launched Operation Millennium, its first 'one thousand bomber' raid. The target was Cologne.
