R.A.F. Strikes at Germany

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 92, 15 October 1940, Page 9

R.A.F. Strikes at Germany

NAVAL BASES HEAVILY BOMBED

(British Official Wireless.) (Eeeeived October 15, 11 a.m.)

KUGBY, October 14.

Despite extremely adverse weather conditions, which hampered operations, R.A.F. bombers attacked a number of targets in Germany last night and also Channel ports in enemy occupation.

!An Air Ministry communique states: "Attacks were made on the naval bases at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, oil plants at GelsenMrehen and Duisberg, Krupps' works at Essen, several enemy aerodromes, anti-aircraft batteries, and searchlight positions. The nightly offensive against Channel ports from Ostend to Le Havre was continued. One of our aircraft is missing."

Flying "blind" through clouds which blanketed the whole route from England to Germany many of the raiding crews won through to their target areas only to find cloud down almost to ground level completely obscuring their objectives. Other raiders more fortunate in the time of their arrival were able to take advantage of fleeting gaps in the cloud bank, through which they were able to locate and bomb their targets.

The naval dockyards at Kiel were attacked by one force which reached the Canal zone about 10 p.m. after a 400-mile flight made hazardous by violent electric storms and an iceforming belt, 8000 feet deep, which extended over the greater part of the route. For nearly three-quarters of an hour the aircraft cruised above the taget area awaiting an opportunity to bomb. Through occasional breaks in the cloud sticks of high explosive bombs were unloosed on the docks and the flash of exploding bombs could be seen as a sudden glow in the enveloping cloud and a snow storm, which at times reduced visibility to nil and also handicapped the attack on the naval dockyards at Wilhelmshayen. Two of the main shipping basins were located through momentary cloud breaks and were heavily bombed under severe anti-aircraft fire. An attack was also made on the Blohm and Voss shipbuilding yards at Hamburg shortly after midnight, but here again low cloud hampered the raiders.

Weather conditions in the Ruhr were little better, but another bomber force, detailed to attack a laige coal tar plant at Duisburg, where nearly half the coal tar of Germany is distilled, finally succeeded in locating its objectives after a chance glimpse of the factory's tall chimneys through a gap in the cloud. Sticks of high explosive bombs were dropped to

straddle the target and a large fire was seen to break out after the bombing.

Other targets in the Ruhr which were located and bombed included Krupp's works at Essen.

Other raiding forces, prevented by the weather from finding their primary objectives, sought out alternative targets. Bombs were dropped by these aircraft on aerodromes at Wesel and Texel, on gun positions on the islands of Borkum and Terschelling, and on a seaplane base at Norderney.

The persistence with which the bomber crews strove to carry out their mission in spite of the appalling weather is well instanced by the record of one raider. The plane was flying in the vicinity of Borkum when part of its de-icing equipment failed. Both engines began to fail but picked up again. After three-quarters of an hour they were working normally and, having now crossed the English coast, the pilot checked his position, turned out to sea again, and went back to bomb docks and enemy shipping at Flushing.

Calais came in for the heaviest attack and was the centre of a series of raids which began at 8 p.m. and did not end until close on midnight.

Dive-bombing aircraft from one of the recently-formed Polish squadrons took part in the attack and heavy damage was seen to have been inflicted on docks and harbour installations.

A series of exceedingly heavy explosions resulted from the attack on Flushing harbour by Coastal Command Blenheims. The main line of the railway junction at the mole was one of the chief targets and following a major explosion, a series of fierce fires was caused where bombs fell.

Another great explosion occurred a full minute after one of the aircraft t unloaded its last bombs. Other Blenheims attacked Domburg harbour, north-west of Flushing, and across the mole at Zeebrugge. Here also explosions were extremely violent and the destruction was increased by scores of incendiary bombs.