BERLIN HEAVILY BOMBED

Evening Star, Issue 23690, 25 September 1940, Page 9

BERLIN HEAVILY BOMBED

Special Targets Selected By R.A.F. MOST SERIOUS ATTACK OF WAR Large Fires Started and Extensive Damage Done (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright KUGBY, September 24. (Deceived September 25, at 9.55 a.m.) An Air Ministry communique states: “ Throughout last night strong bomber forces of the E.A.F. delivered heavy attacks on military objectives in and around Berlin. This attack was on a much larger scale than, any yet carried out, and preliminary reports show that extensive damage was done. • ‘ Among the targets selected by our aircraft and heavily bombed were the Eangsdorf railway station and several railway yards, including that at Grunewald, the west tower of the Wimersdorf electric power station, the gasworks at Danzinstrasse and Neukoln, factories at Charlottenburg and Spandau, including the Brandenburg motor works, and other objectives. “ During night operations over the Channel ports in enemy occupation were vigorously attacked. Three of our aircraft have not returned. CAREFULLY PLANNED RAID. According to the Air Ministry bulletin the E.A.F. attacks on Berlin were carefully planned and lasted several hours. How well the general scheme #orked out may be judged by the comments of the commanding officer of one large station, who said. “ My aircraft went out at regular intervals and came back as regularly, just like well-organised trains. The West power station and power stations of Wilmersdorf, Charlottenburg, Klingbenberg, and Moabit, all within the Berlin area, came in for a steady hammering. Many fires were seen to break out. One aircraft alone started five large fires visible gO miles away. Another reported a power station alight at four different points. At Klingeuberg and Wilmersdorf it was the ■ame story, bombs bursting on power stations and flames leaping high. One pilot attacking a large gasworks' saw his bomb burst among buildings. Other pilots attacking the same target later left a string of smallish fires in the target area. One of them said: “We must have hit; this gasworks fair and square. Our bombs started another line pf jfires, and then a fire in the middle of the target caused a gigantic explosion.” A rail junction to the east of the West power station was also bombed. In an attack on the B.M.W. aero engine works many bombs were dropped on the area and shortly afterwards numerous fires broke out. Siemens cable works was also set on fire. BOMBERS ARRIVE IN WAVES. The German News Agency announced that several British planes last night flew over the northern and eastern suburbs of Berlin, dropping bombs and deliberately attacking residential quarters. Dwellings were damaged and several civilians killed and injured. There was no military damage.” Reports from neutral sources indicate that the British bombers arrived in waves and apparently set fire to at least two warehouses or factories. Anti-aircraft fragments peppered Berlin throughout the raid. The authorities state that mostly incendiaries were dropped and most of the fires were extinguished. It was officially stated in Berlin that the raid resulted m 11 being killed and 14 wounded.