VITAL GERMAN WAR CENTRE DEVASTATED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1942, Page 5

VITAL GERMAN WAR CENTRE DEVASTATED

IMMENSE FIRES

Pall Of Smoke Seen From

140 Miles Away

United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, May 31

The raid was the 107 th against Cologne. Before the great force was sent out, Air-Marshal Harris said: "Let them have it right on the chin."

Fires caused by the raid were reported to have been seen from the Dutch coast, 140 miles away. Our reconnaissance planes also reported that they saw a pall of smoke rising three milea into the sky from the burning city.

In a message to the members of the air force taking part in the raid Air Marshal Harris said that the force was at least twice the size and had four times the carrying capacity of the largest air force ever before concentrated on one objective. "They had in their hands the means of destroying one of the largest centres for maintaining Germany's war effort." He urged them to press home the attack with the full knowledge that, if they succeeded, they would be delivering a devastating blow against the very vitals of the enemv.

Mr. Churchill said that the raid was proof of Britain's great force, and was evidence also of what Germany would receive city by city.

One of the men who helped to plan the raid was Air Vice-Marshal J. E. A. Baldwin. When he had finished his work at his desk, he said he wanted to see things for himself and he went in one of the planes.

The R.A.F. in previous raids had used upwards of 300 machines, while it is estimated that Germany used 500 for the heaviest raids against Britain.

A colossal organisation is needed to maintain an average offensive of 1000 bombers. It is impossible because of bad weather to send over a bombing force nightly. Therefore, in order to maintain an average of 1000 it would be necessary frequently to send over at least 3000. For this force, assuming that two squadrons operate from one aerodrome, over 120 aerodromes would be needed, while the crews would total about 18,000 and the ground staff needed to handle the force would be 400,000.

Cologne's defences are believed to include 120 searchlights, in addition to many powerful anti-aircraft batteries. The R.A.F.'s targets in previous raids included the Franz Clouth rubber works, the Germarf and Deutz railway yard®, the Kolnippes railway works and ■ large Kalk and Humboldt Deutz factories, which make plane and submarine engines. Cologne's main industries are cnemicals, synthetic oil, rubber and explosives. The main railway station was recently badly damaged.