Operation Carthage

Operation Carthage was a Royal Air Force (RAF) air raid carried out on 21 March 1945 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Requested by the Danish resistance, its objective was to destroy the German Gestapo headquarters in the Shell House and eliminate records identifying resistance members.

The attack was carried out by low-flying de Havilland Mosquito bombers escorted by Mustang fighters. The raid successfully struck the Shell House, killing Gestapo personnel, destroying key intelligence files, and allowing several prisoners to escape. This significantly disrupted German efforts against the Danish resistance during the final weeks of World War II.

However, the mission also had tragic consequences. After one Mosquito crashed near a Catholic school, some following aircraft mistakenly bombed the school, killing many civilians, including children and teachers.

Despite the civilian losses, Operation Carthage is remembered as both a military success and a tragic wartime event.