Great Britain Bombing Maps, Generalstab des Luftwaffe, Berlin, 1941 (colour litho)

Summary: Display label text from Lie of the Land: the Secret Life of Maps, British Library, 2001-2002: "German bombing maps of Great Britain, 1941 These are two examples from 1941 of maps used by German bomber crews in their night-time missions over Britain during World War Two. Only the most obvious ground features have been included (towns, railway lines, major roads, woodland etc.) with a minimum of detail to aid observation from the air. The distinctive colours of the map were chosen for better legibility in the cockpit at night. Note the areas marked in red and yellow. These denote the target areas for the mission. Dock areas such as Portsmouth and Southampton were regular targets for the Luftwaffe and heavily bombed during the war. On the Manchester sheet the yellow circle marked on the outskirts of Oldham with the words 'Achtung. Deutsches Gefangenenlager in Oldham-Leeds' calls the attention of Luftwaffe crews to a camp holding German prisoners of war - obviously an area to be avoided during the mission. Germany, Luftwaffe, Generalstab. [Great Britain bombing maps.] 1941. Maps Y.415."