WWII: Top secret photos reveal a grim success

Dorothy’s grandfather, Harry, and grandmother, Edith, with their seven children in the garden of their home in College Street, Long Eaton, in 1919, after they had returned from the U.S. The children are – back, L to R: Cyril (Dorothy’s father), Harry, Horace and Edith. Centre: Ernest (the photographer). Front: Olive, who was also born in America, and baby Muriel, who died, on Edith’s knee

The aerial reconnaissance unit of the U.S. Eighth Air Force. Sgt Ernest Holme is centre front. They carried out perilous, low-flying missions over enemy territory

The bombed viaduct at Bielefeld, described as a lifeline to Berlin

Not a lot was left of Bremen after relentless Allied bombing raids

The bridges over Germany’s major rivers, including these at Frankfurt, were bombing targets

German prisoners of war at an unknown location towards the end of the war

The cathedral at Ulm stands miraculously intact amid total devastation

THESE incredible aerial photographs of the devastation wreaked on German cities by American and British pilots were among many hundreds taken by war hero Ernest Holme during the dying months of the Second World War.

Ernest, who had worked as a photographer in Long Eaton before the war, took part in perilous low-flying missions over France and Germany for the aerial reconnaissance unit of the U.S. Eighth Air Force. Their task was to gather information about enemy movements which was vital to the Allied Forces in their preparation for the Normandy landings.

Some of the pictures are of possible targets to be attacked and others show the aftermath of bombings.

It was top secret and highly important work and made a huge contribution towards bringing the war to an end – which was why Ernest was subsequently awarded an American distinguished citation ribbon for his “extraordinary heroism, gallantry and determination”.

Our report on his bravery was published in Bygones last November and read with pride by his niece, Dorothy Morris, of Long Eaton, who has lent us part of his photographic collection, illustrating the work he had carried out.

She said: “He was obviously a very brave man but also very much appreciated for what he did in the war. The family were very proud of him and I think some of these pictures must be part of war history.”

Dorothy’s father, Cyril Holme, was Ernest’s eldest brother. They were a big family and, in 1903, had emigrated to the United States and settled in Memphis, Tennessee.

Her grandfather, Harry Holme, had gone on ahead of the family, working his passage as a stoker on a ship, and his wife, Edith, followed several months later with the children.

Cyril was about three years old at the time and he told Dorothy, many years later, that he could still remember waking up on a railway station in America and seeing a black person for the first time.

Ernest was born in Memphis but, about 11 years after emigrating, at the outbreak of the First World War, Harry and Edith decided to take their family home. They returned to live in College Street, Long Eaton.

After leaving school, Ernest worked with his brother, Horace Holme, in his photography business in Long Eaton Market Place and then went on to become manager for a well-known firm of photographers.

When war came, he joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve but, after three years, was transferred to the American Air Force which won him promotion and his highly important aerial photographic work.

The citation for his award told of how he had been a camera repair technician for the Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron whose assignments in the fight against Nazi aggression had been to obtain valuable aerial pictures of enemy military, maritime and industrial installations.

“During the weeks preceding and three weeks following the Normandy invasion, group pilots flew exceedingly dangerous low-altitude missions to photograph German communication lines and troop movements,” the citation said.

It was awarded by Ernest’s wing commander, Col Elliott Roosevelt, a relative of the American president.

When he received the award, Ernest was 33 and married to Long Eaton girl Zena Woodward.

In the late 1940s, they moved to the United States, making their home in Rhode Island, New York State, where they spent the rest of their lives.

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