Luftwaffe Target Numbers

[lucifer]

Hello Group,

Apologies if this is an old subject, but does anyone know if there is a definitive list of Luftwaffe target numbers in London?

Some of these numbers are known (for example, Target 42 was Tower Bridge) but surviving target maps have different methods of numbering, and it appears that different targets were sometimes assigned the same number.

I corresponded with a researcher (sadly he recently died, so I can obtain no further information) who gave me exact co-ordinates for 'Target 118 (7)'.
I assume he obtained this information from German documents. The area corresponding to those co-ordinates now contains only housing, but during WW2 it was the site of Beckton Gas Works. However, a recently-found targeting map which was sold at auction also gave 'Target 118' (without the figure in brackets) as Wandsworth Prison.

Similarly, the researcher informed me that 'Target 116' was St Pancras Station, but on the map this number is assigned to a rail freight depot on the bank of the Thames in Chelsea.

I have also seen 'Target 122' mentioned. According to the map, this was Springfield Mental Hospital in Tooting! It seems very unlikely that the Luftwaffe would mount an attack against a hospital, so we can only assume this number was also assigned to a different target.

Just to confuse things even more, other Luftwaffe maps use a different numbering system. For example, the Northern Sewer Outfall in West Ham is given the target number 54.1a and West Ham Power Station is 50.97

Any information would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
John.

[Larry D.]

John -

The Luftwaffe Target Folders all survived the war and are intact. They are arranged by country using a one- or two-number prefix for each target category, e.g., power plants, bridges, dams, ammunition dumps, military vehicle parks, airfields (these carry the prefix "10-"). Each prefix is then followed by a dash and a number assigned to a particular target. I worked extensively with the target folders for the USSR but I haven't seen the ones for the U.K., although I know they exist. I have seen them discussed extensively in detail on website: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/ . So you might want to give it a go there. Several of the members there have copies of it.

Larry deZ.