VITAL SPOTS

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 11

VITAL SPOTS

GERMAN OIL PLANTS CONTINUOUSLY BOMBED BY R.A.F. SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ENEMY WAR MACHINE (British Official Wireless.l RUGBY. September 18. (Received September 14. at 9.47 a.m.) Over 700 of the 1,500 bombing raids carried out by the IR.A.F. on Germany and German-occupied territory, covering 200 localities, have been on the territory of the Reich itself. The chief objectives have been oil depots and refineries, armament works, aircraft works, aerodromes, docks, naval bases, goods yards, rail junctions, main lines, barges, shipping on canals, etc. The particular importance which attaches to the attacks on synthetic oil plants and oil refineries is appreciated when it is recalled that Germanv’s synthetic production is 2,500,000 tons Forty per cent, of this synthetic production is in western Germanv. and has been continuously and heavily attacked in the last two months. A further 1,300,000 tons is in central Ger-. many, and the attacks on these nlants have now begun, including Leuna. which has ar. output of about 400,000 tons annually. Another very important part of the German oil industry is her refining plant. Germany has a total refining capacitv of about 3.000.000 tons yearly. Of this total about 2,500,000 tons is situated at Hamburg. Bremen, and western Germany, including Hanover, which areas also include all producers of high-grade lubricating oils. Owing to the shortage of crude oil supplies other than from domestic wells and Russian imports, these refineries are not likely to have been working at full pressure, but they are still extremely suitable targets, because a very large percentage of Germany’s commercial storage capacity is located at the oil refineries. If, therefore, Germany wishes to hold large stocks she has to store a considerable proportion at the refineries which are liable to constant, attack by the R.A.F. The whole of the 2,500,000 tons refinery capacity in western Germany has been heavily and repeatedly attacked. GREAT FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS TRAFFIC CENTRES DEVASTATED INVASION PROGRAMME DiSORGAHISED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 13. (Received September 14, at 10.35 a.m.) In spite of adverse weather, described succinctly by the pilots themselves as “ generally foul,” R.A.F. bombers on Thursday night continued to harry the German invasion plans. They struck in particular at the network of vital railway junctions and goods yards in Western Germany. A communique issued this evening shows that aircraft, both of the coastal and bomber commands, were engaged in the night’s operations, from which all returned safely. The Air Ministry News Service points out that these junctions and goods yards, Which include some of the largest and most elaborate in Europe, must play an important part in any attempted invasion of Britain. Troops, reserves, equipment, and supplies moving westwards to the Channel ports from Germany must pass through one or other of these key transport centres. It was before 10 o’clock that, in thick cloud and drizzling rain, the first raider dropped heavy bombs and incendiaries on the Hamm yard. At Ehrang the yards near the Luxemburg frontier, north of Trier, heavy bombs burst along a line of trucks, causing several explosions and fires, which burned with a vivid glare. At Osnabruck, too, the bombers flew through dense cloud. One scraped a balloon cable with his wing tip. Attacking from various heights, the raiders started 10 large fires in the yards. Some of the aircraft which attacked the Essen yards were badly iced-up. Heavy bombs were dropped on the railway sidings. The Schwerte marshalling yards were also attacked in the face of an intense barrage from light anti-aircraft batteries. Another raider bombed sidings at Emmerich, on the Rhine, near the Dutch border.

The Germans have recently been routing much of their- military traffic through the Brussels yards. These have been attacked several times by the R.A.F. in the past week, and they were bombed again last night. After bursts were seen on the target, a U-shaped fire, three-quarters of a mile long was seen on the north of the yard. There was a series of green-coloured explosions. Then another fire, 200yds long, was seen in the middle of the siding.

Meanwhile, another section of raiders visited Emden and bombed docks and petroleum sheds on the west side of Altebin nen Hafen. The attack went on for an hour.

Squadrons operating over Holland bombed the docks at Flushing and Detfzijl, at the mouth of the Ems, opposite Emden, and the Norderney seaplane base and the base at De Ko'oy, near Den Helder. The first raider to reach Flushing found a semi-circle of antiaircraft ships round the harbour entrance. They immediately opened an intense barrage. Light and heavy shore batteries joined in and tracer bullets flared past the bombers. High-angle

machine guns added their quots* Through this barrage one of the raiders flew at 600 ft. A German oil tanker was bombed by Blenheims of the Coastal Command near Le Havre, and a supply ship was also hit. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET. The pilot of an aircraft which las! night dived down to nearly ground level over the Flushing dockyard is the face of intense anti-aircraft firs and dropped his bombs said, describing the exploit: “ We were fairly low when they opened up. I have never sees anything like it. There was so much of it. I put down my nose and hoped for the best. The searchlights wero holding us all the time. I just kept my eyes on my instruments and on tho docks. If one had looked -round ona would have been blinded. We dropped our bombs and they landed right is the centre of the dock buildings. Immediately we were thrown to 600fbThere wore tremendous explosions, th*~ second pilot, who was standing besido me, being knocked off his feet. I just concentrated on trying to keep the air-' craft in the air and get away. Ther* was a curtain of fire on all sides.” Ships in the harbour also opened, firg on the aircraft with heavy and quickfiring guns, as well as a lighter typs of anti-aircraft gun. The pilot sent ■ out an SOS that he was likely to bo coming down, but was attempting to get home. Flying very low over the sea, he managed to bring his aircraft back and made a safe landing at hi* base.