"Nightingales And Bombers" BBC Recording 19 May 1942

nightingales_and_bombers_1942.mp3
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During the evening of 19 May, 1942, a BBC sound recording team were in a Surrey garden to transmit live the song of nightingales. Part way through the recording 197 bombers started to drone over on a mission to Mannheim. Thinking that the aircraft could potentially alert the Germans to an impending raid, the live recording was stopped, but the live recording continued to capture the passing of the bombers. It's a haunting combination.

The raid involved 197 aircraft; 105 Wellingtons, 31 Stirlings, 29 Halifaxes, 15 Hampdens, 13 Lancasters and four Manchesters. 11 aircraft were lost; four Halifaxes, four Stirlings and three Wellingtons.