BLOWS AT GERMANY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 254, 24 September 1940, Page 7

BLOWS AT GERMANY

OIL STORES WRECKED

SUSTAINED ATTACKS

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

(British Official Wireless.)

(Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY* Sept. 23 Some details of the raids by the R.A.F- on Nazi <oil refineries were revealed by authoritative London quarters to-day.

As early as the end of August repeated attacks had been delivered on all the important oil refineries in North-West and West Germany-, which account for the bulk of the German refinery capacity and the largest of wfiich possess storage installations which together form an important proportion of Germany’s total storage capacity. According to expert calculation these attacks, in addition to reducing the production of lubricating oil, resulted in the destruction of a quantity of finished stocks.

As for synthetic oil, a million tons out of a total capacity of two and a-half million tons are located in Western Germany and have been heavily attacked during recent months, while a further one arid a-quarter million tons capacity, including the famous works in Magdeburg and Leipzig, are being included in the R.A.F.’s early autumn programme. The Air Ministry has announced: “The R.A.F. have bombed enemyoccupied bases in France and Belgium and an important target in Germany.” Three waves of British bombers flying over Holland attacked North Germany overnight, visiting Brandenburg and also the Potsdam and Oranienburg areas of Berlin. The air raid alarm in Berlin lasted over two hours. IMPORTANT TARGETS.

An Air Ministry communique on last night’s R.A.F. attacks on important targets in Germany and the Channel ports states: “Our aircraft all returned safely from widespread operations in Germany, Holland, Belgium and France which were carried out successfully during last night and the early hours of this morning. Important aluminium works at Lauta, north-east of Dresden, were bombed and fires broke out. . ■ “Railways in the neighbourhood were attacked, at several points, and near Dresden hits were scored on a supply train. Strong forces of bombers also attacked docks, harbours, and. shipping at the enemy occupied-ports of Flushing, Antwerp, Dunkirk, Ostend, Zeebrugge, Calais and Brest.”