CHANNEL PORTS HAMMERED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 248, 17 September 1940, Page 8

CHANNEL PORTS HAMMERED

DEVASTATING BLOWS

ANTWERP HEAVILY BOMBED

FIRES ENGULF BUILDINGS.

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (Kec. 12.45 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 16. The invas.on Bases on the Dutch, Belgian and French Coasts were again the chief objectives of Sunday night’s raids by bomber squadrons ot the R.A.F. The night’s heaviest attack was directed against the dockfe at Antwerp, where great fleets of barges and many ships have been accumulated during recent weeks. In the raid, which began half an hour before midnight and was kept up for close on three horn's, many tons of high-explosives and 100 incendiary bombs were unloaded on the docks and shipping by relays of heavy bombers. , Bright moonlight in the early stages of the attack clearly revealed many barges moored in the'dock basin. The barges which were struck and set ablaze exploded in flashes ot flames which lit the whole dock.

The goods yard caught fire and buildings were wrecked, and the trsfil of fire following the series ot explosions spread rapidly along the quayside, engulfing, warehouses and other buildings in its course.

Bv 1.30 a.m. one of the main wharves was a mass of tlames and other growing fires could be seen in all parts of the docks. SHIPPING STRADDLED.

At Ostend shipping and the docks were subjected to a series of intermittent raids by heavy' and medium bombers over a period of four hours. In the first attack, launched shortly after midnight, a line of bombs burst across docks in the outer harbour. A second stick falling on one end of a Basin struck what appeared to be a large transport vessel, which immediately caught fire. 'lhe following attackers straddled the basin, shipping and wharf with a line of highexplosive bombs which'started a number of fires which later, merging into one great blaze, lit up the clouds 6000 ft. above the town. Other bombs caused heavy explosions which were seen by one aircraft while it was still 15 miles from the target. The attacks on Boulogne were delivered by a force of medium bombers. Visibility in the moonlight was and. making full use of available cloud, the bomber pilots attacked the targets by diving through a gap and climbing quickly back into the cover of the clouds after dropping bombs. Repeated hits were scored alongside two of the main basins, on shipping, on a jetty formerly used by cross-Channel steamers, and on the southern half of the mole. At Dunkirk extensive damage was caused by medium bombers which scored direct hits on the docks, harbour and equipment. One tremendous flash was seen 20 miles away, caused by a violent explosion which broke out on No. 4 dock. Here a fire was still raging more than two hours later. PLANES HARASS BERLIN.

In the raid on Calais and Flushing the bombers' crews reported frequent hits on the docks and quayside, and many outbreaks of fire. Ships along the quay at Calais are believed, to liave been set on fire and a fire which broke out on the edge of the west basin was still burning strongly 50 minutes later.

Berlin was again visited early on Monday morning by a harassing force which bombed military objectives to the north-west of the city and the Tempelhof airport, and also attached the power station which was damaged in a previous ra.d.

The raiders, whose visit gave Beiliners their first two alarms in one night, met anti-aircraft tire, but none of the aircraft was hit. In the coarse of attacks on German rail centres, other heavy bomber forces Taided Osnabruck, where six heavy, calibre bombs were seen to burst across the goods yard, and Soest. where a heavy explosion occurred in the railway 'some time after bombs were seen to'strike the target. At Krefcld fires were started and a goods train standing in a yard was hit. ; Six buildings collapsed when six bombs fell across them at Hamm, which has hecn described ns the nerve centre of German rail transport. A fire started on sidings could be seen miles away.

GUN AREA BOMBED

During the attack on the long-range cun emplacements at Cape Gris ■ Nez (near Calais) searchlights adjacent to the guns were bombed and extmB The 6 surrounding woods were set on fire and the emplacements were le t encircled by a fire which was visible for many miles out to sea.

BOMBERS SMITE SHIPPING. Successful attacks on enemy shipping were a feature oi the night s oporations. An enemy cruiser'Sighted ott Terscheliing Island just, before midnight was’ hit by a high explosive bomb from a heavy bomber which at once came under intense fire from the warship. The bomber had the leading cdo’e of its starboa'rd wing and part of its tail unit shot away. The landing wheel -was punctured and many bullet holes were in the wings, despite the damage it was brought sat el v to its 7 ha.se A "supply ship of about <OOO tons was attacked by another heavy bomber off the German coast and left in a sinking condition after several direct hits had been scored on it. - . A 6000-ton oil tanker seen steaming westward without her lights was also intercepted and attacked with . bombs and machine-gun fire trom a height of only 500 ft. Two direct -hits were scored, one on the after part of the vessel and the other amidships.