As a Dutchman I am very much aware that the Avro Lancaster did not drop bombs only: in fact in the spring of 1945 my own mothers life was saved by (among other bombers) Avro Lancasters flying a number of "Operation Manna" mission, dropping food for the starving inhabitants of the Northern part of The Netherlands.

 

For several reasons the winter of 1944-1945 had wreaked havoc with food supplies in the still occupied Northern half of The Netherlands - it really it's not for nothing that it is still known by the Dutch as the "Hongerwinter" of  "Hunger Winter". Firstly, the winter of 1944-1945 was very harsh, even to Dutch standards. Secondly ,The Netherlands formed one of the main western battlefields, which had resulted in widespread dislocation and destruction, on top of which the retreating German army destroyed locks and bridges to flood the country. This, of course, limited the growth of food because much af the flooded land was agricultural in nature, but also the flooding added the final destructive blow to the transport of existing food stocks, on account of much of the infrastructure having been destroyed.

 

Following D-Day, conditions had grown worse in occupied Holland (which is an incorrect but widely popular colloquialism for "The Netherlands"). Allied troops were able to liberate the southern part of the Netherlands, but their liberation efforts ground to a halt when "Operation Market Garden", the attempt to gain control of the bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem, failed. When the "Nederlandsche Spoorwegen" (the Dutch national railways) complied with the exiled Dutch governments appeal for a railway strike to further the Allied liberation efforts, the German administration retaliated by putting an embargo on all food transports to the western Netherlands. This embargo was partially lifted in early November 1944, allowing restricted food transports over water, but by then the unusually early and harsh winter had already set in. The canals froze over and became impassable for barges. Food stocks in the cities in the western Netherlands rapidly ran out.

 

In an effort to relieve the Dutch famine, the Allied negotiated with the German occupation for coordinated dropping of food by the Royal Air Force over what was still German-occupied Dutch territory. The result was "Operation Manna", 28 April - 8 May 1945, where instead of targets, aircrew were briefed on drop zones. The Germans had agreed on corridors of safe passage and where the drop zones could be located.

 

The Dutch were informed of Operation Manna on 24 April when it was announced by the BBC. Then on 29 April the people of Holland heard the BBC announce: "Bombers of the Royal Air Force have just taken off from their bases in England to drop food supplies to the Dutch population in enemy-occupied territory". This first sortie involved 242 Lancasters to drop the food, and 8 Mosquitoes to mark the drop zones.

 

The Lancasters flew at very low altitude (typically 500 ft or less) and at very slow speed. One Canadian pilot recalled: "flying by a windmill and people waved at us from its balcony. You understand, we had to look up to wave back"! Rear gunner or "Tail End Charlie" Sgt. Ken Wood remembered: "People were everywhere - on the streets, on the roofs, leaning out of windows. They all had something to wave with; a handkerchief, a sheet - it was incredible." Flight sergeant S Gibson wrote: "I will always remember seeing 'Thank you Tommy' written on one of the roofs".

 

The US Air Force joined the relief operation in Operation Chowhound on 1 May. A total of 3100 flights were made by Bomber Command, and an additional 2200 by the American Air Force. More than 11,000 tons of food were dropped in the ten days of the operation. Operation Manna ended on 8 May 1945.