BOMBS DROPPED IN SEVEN MINUTES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 21, 20 October 1942, Page 5

BOMBS DROPPED IN SEVEN MINUTES

Attack On Schneider Arms Works SENSATIONAL RESULT (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 18. Connuentators are claiming that the raid on the Schneider arms works at Le Creusot will rank as one of the R.A.F.'s greatest achievements. Ou the meagre details available, experts are already describing the raid as sensational. Vichy radio declared that 40 French jx-ople were killed and 80 injured in the raid. The Air Ministry reveals that the first squadron over the target was led by Wing Commander L. C. Slee. All the bombing was completed within seven minutes. In that time a great. Weight of bombs was dropped, many tires broke out, and shortly after the attack there was a large explosion.

One formation bombed an electrical transformer station nearby which supplies power to the Schneider works. The only aircraft missing of the 94 planes engaged in the operation was lost, in this attack. One Lancaster, attacked by three Arando float-planes, shot two ot them down into the sen. The fact that the bombing was all over in seven minutes and that 94 bombers were over the target meant that one bomb-load was dropped every 44 seconds. The exact weight of the bombs dropped is not stated, but each Lancaster can carry eight tons of bombs. Hedge-Hopping Across France.

The Air Ministry news service says that the majority of the great force of Lancasters hedge-hopped across II rance and climbed to the attack. The main target was bombed at between 4000 ana 0000 feet. A small force was detacked to bomb the transformer works, winch it did from 500 feet with great effect. The only one of the 94 Lancasters to be lost was seen to crash here beside its target. Little anti-aircraft fire was encotinaccount of the hedge-hopping dash across France was given by a sergeant pilot. “As we all .took the hedges it was like a Grand National, except that there were no falls. Some ot tile French people waved to us. All animals bolted as we roared over their heads. We saw no fighters, but a dude came with a wallop through the windscreen. All the way over there were other Lancasters on either side of us. “We got to Le Creusot just after sunset. We could see the factory dead clear. A stick of bombs from another aircraft was dropped in front of us right across the works. Then we dropped our stick parallel to it. The buildings just flopped apart. There was a red flash in the middle of one building,, and it was not there any more. In a little while all we could see was clouds of smoke, with red fires and bombs bursting inside. The Air Ministry states that m the course of offensive patrols over northern France on Sunday, Spitfires of the Fighter Command attacked railway engines and gun-posts. One enemy bomber was shot down off the French coast this morning. None of our aircraft is missing. This morning a single enemy aircraft dropped bombs at a place near the southeast coast of England. No injuries and only slight damage resulted.]. COMMENT IN LONDON LONDON, October 19.. London newspapers today showed pictures of big groups of men who took part in the raid on the Schneider works. One pilot, describing the raid, said he saw all the Lancasters’ bombs drop plumb in the centre of the works. Organization and timing were perfect, he said. The newspapers devote .much space to the raid, particularly noticing that the bombers flew the 300-mile journey unescorted, also that the German fighter opposition was practically and tliat little flak was encountered.