Where Caen and so many other cases are concerned we need to recognize that really precise bombing in the modern sense was not often possible and seldom achieved in WWII, despite many claims to the contrary by the bomber barons. Aerial bombing had only begun about 30 years before 1944 so it was still a very young technology and most of the electronic aids available now did not exist. Even today, of course, guided ordnance can still miss the target and that was far more likely 80 years ago. Enormous strides had been made since 1939 and both RAF and USAAF were working constantly to improve accuracy. Low-level marking had already brought Bomber Command some remarkably accurate results that year, but as others have pointed out here that was still more the exception than the rule. Churchill was very uneasy about the effects of air bombing on the French, but as I recall De Gaulle said "c'est la guerre," or words to that effect.
^Yes it is also my recalling that WC was more worried on French civilian casualties as a result of Allied bombing attacks in 1944 than De Gaulle.
The head lines in the local paper repeated in translation on some posters greeted the Allies with "We waited for you with joy, we greet you with mourning"
This isn't the most accurate plot which and is a WIP, but I have attached a heatmap below showing the craters in and around Merville Battery that I think Illustrates the Inaccuracy discussed in the War Diary records, quite well. (Unfortunately there is no easy way to differentiate which raid created which crater). BR, SH
That's a fascinating map, thanks for posting - a very useful visual representation of the realities of bombing accuracy at the time. On the subject of Caen itself, my father (a Brit) was there in 1948, and remembers widespread anti-American feeling ascribed to the bombing of the city! Whether this sentiment was commonplace I don't know, but he was there for the best part of a year and his memory of his stay is pretty clear otherwise.
