Dramatic Photos

Death from nowhere - Antwerp.

Unknown (?Canadian) author.

The horrific aftermath of a V-2 ballistic missile attack on Antwerp, late-1944. The V-2 was the first effective ballistic missile, envisaged by the Germans as a "vengeance weapon" primarily for use against London. However, following the Normandy landings and the subsequent liberation of substantial territories by the Western Allies, the weapon was used in a number of tactical operations for which, it has to be said, it was not ideally suited, including an attempt to demolish the famous "Bridge at Remagen" (completely unsuccessful). Antwerp was also a target, since it was a major road and rail hub and, potentially, a valuable port for the transit of Allied supplies and reinforcements. The V-2's method was essentially the same as that of modern intercontinental ballistic missiles - the thing was fired up into the stratosphere, and descended at supersonic speed on its target. Or hoped-for target. Unlike modern ICBMs, targeting of the weapon left something to be desired, hence its weakness as a tactical weapon. No doubt about its destructive capacities, however. Owing to the supersonic speed of its descent, the V-2 visited death on its victims without any warning whatsoever. One second you were fine, the next ... well, as here. One interesting point about this photo - the burning truck is marked with an offset white star, confirming that it belonged to Canadian forces, who often offset or inverted the white star aerial identification mark to distinguish their vehicles from US vehicles. Best regards, JR.