54,000 flee WW2 bomb on Xmas Day
RAF missile causes largest evacuation in post-war Germany
THE biggest post-war evacuation in Germany took place yesterday – thanks to a British bomb dropped during World War II.
About 54,000 people left their homes in Augsburg, Bavaria, after the Blockbuster bomb with 3.8 tons of explosive material was found on a building site.
All those living within a mile radius were forced to move out.
The bomb was discovered on December 20 but the authorities decided to defuse it on Christmas Day to minimise disruption.
Germans traditionally open presents on Christmas Eve.
Schools, sports halls and an exhibition centre were opened for those unable to stay with relatives or friends.
At dawn, a fleet of emergency vehicles took vulnerable residents to safety.
More than 4000 police and firemen ensured the evacuation of 32,000 households. Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp were used for evacuation updates, with loudspeaker announcements made to clear all areas.
A city spokesman said: “All vulnerable, bedridden patients are being taken from the protection zone.
“The operation will only be completed once everyone has left their homes. That’s top priority.”
The bomb was described as a 1.8-ton device of British design encased in explosive material weighing 3.8 tons in total.
Augsburg, about 50 miles north-west of Munich, was heavily bombed during the war.
From 1942 to 1945, the Royal Air Force and US bombers carried out massive raids on German cities, often round-the-clock, designed to sap the strength of the Nazi war machine.
Large parts of Augsburg were destroyed in February, 1944, when the city was attacked by hundreds of RAF and US bombers.