PESTRUCTION OF AIR BASES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 11

PESTRUCTION OF AIR BASES

Systematic Campaign Continued BRITISH BOMBERS No Respite For Nazis In Stavanger (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 3, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, May 2. Continuing the systematic destruction of the enemy’s principal air bases in Norway, aircraft of the R.A.F. Bomber Command raided Stavanger aerodrome again yesterday afternoon and in the early hours of this morning. Fornebu and Aalborg were also raided for the second night in succession and considerable damage was inflicted on both aerodromes. Yesterday afternoon’s attack on Stavanger was the fifth raid on this base within 24 hours. In the course of its announcement of the raids the Air Ministry states: “The R.A.F. maintained its pressure on enemy air bases in Norway and Denmark,’’ and it adds: “In the course of a night reconnaissance over the southern area of the North Sea one of our aircraft encountered an enemy seaplane near the island of Nordgerney and shot it down into the sea. No losses were suffered in these operations.” The daylight raid on Stavanger was carried out by Blenheim bombers under a clear sky. Enemy aircraft were observed dispersed round the aerodrome, and as the R.A.F. aircraft approached several of them could be seen either taxi-ing or taking off. Throughout the raid there was no opposition from enemy fighters. Well-aimed Salvo. The British bombers launched the attack along a line running north-west and south-east across the centre of the aerodrome, and bombs were well distributed over the lauding area, and were seen to strike runways, one salvo causing damage over a stretch of 200 yards. Another salvo exploded on the edge of the aerodrome close to two stationary aircraft, which immediately afterward were enveloped in a thick pall of black smoke, evidence of a petrolfed fire. The night attack, which began after midnight, was made by long-range bombers carrying heavy loads of high explosive and incendiary bombs. Hits were registered in many parts of the aerodrome, and several fires were started both on the landing ground itself and in Ihe adjoining woods where aircraft were known to be concealed. The first aircraft to reach the target encountered no opposition, but the later arrivals found the ground de-

fences ready to receive them, and each release of bombs was the signal for an intense barrage from the batteries round the borders of the aerodrome. The gunfire was synchronized with searchlights, and there was a complete blackout before and after each aircraft launched its attack. Despite the intensity of the fire no British aircraft was hit. Fornebu air base, near Oslo, was subjected to a heavy bombardment by aircraft which attacked singly at intervals and baffled the defences by launching attacks from varying heights. Fine weather facilitated the task of the bombarders, and, in addition to repeated hits on the aerodrome, three large fires, two at the north end and one at the south end, were started by incendiary bombs. Anti-aircraft fire and searchlight activity were intense, but instead of searching for individual aircraft the searchlight beams came up iu fixed positions, converging over the centre of the aerodrome in an attempt to blind the bombers and confuse their aim. One British aircraft sustained a direct hit from a small calibre shell, but none of the crew was injured and the aircraft returned safely to its base. Strong opposition from the ground defences was also encountered by the British force which raided the aerodrome at Aalborg, Denmark, in the early hours of this morning, but again the R.A.F. aircraft were successful in reaching their objective and inflicting heavy damage on the air base. Fighters Driven Off. In the course of this raid one British bomber was intercepted and attacked by a Messerschmitt 110 twin-engined fighter, which, after flying on a parallel course to the bomber for several min utes, turned in behind its tail and opened fire from astern. The British rear gunner returned the fire, and as the enemy fighter sheered off to one side two more Mesersehmitt 110’s appeared on the scene, one attempting an attack on the bomber. Under the fire of the British rear gunner, however, the Messerschmitt broke off the engagement and the enemy fighters dispersed. Sent out with the object of observing the damage inflicted by the Royal Air Force during Tuesday’s raid on Stavanger, a single Hudson reconnaissance plane saw a number of German planes parked on the aerodrome. The crew of the Hudson put aside their cameras and considerably improved the picture of havoc with a well-aimed salvo of bombs which fell on a group of five enemy bombers drawn up between the runways. TWENTY-THIRD ATTACK (Received May 3, .10 p.m.) LONDON, May 3. Yesterday’s was the twenty-third raid on Stavanger and the eighth within 48 hours. KING HAAKON Escape To Sweden Claimed By Berlin (Received May 3, 9.10 p.m.) BERLIN, May 3. The Berlin radio announced that King Haakon of Norway has escaped to Sweden.