CAREFULLY PLANNED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 255, 25 September 1940, Page 7

CAREFULLY PLANNED

POWER STATIONS ON FIRE

OBSERVATIONS OF PILOTS.

(British Official "Wireless.) (Rec. 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY,. Sept. 24 According to an Air Ministry, bulletin- the R.A.F. attacks on Berlin were carefully planned and lasted several hours. How well the general .scheme was worked 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 the power stations of Wilniersdorf, Charlottenburg, Klingenberg and Moabit —all within • the Berlin area —each came in for a steady hammering, and many fires were seen to break out. One aircraft alone • started five large fires which were visible 80 miles away. Another reported a power station was alight at four different points. At Klingenberg and Wilmersdorf it was the same story—bombs bursting on the power stations and flames leaping high. One pilot attacking large gas works saw his bomb burst among the buildings. Other pilots attacking the same target later loft a string of small fires in the target area. One of them said: “We must have hit this gas works fair and square. Our bombs started another lino of fires, 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 8.M.W., aero engine works many bombs were dropped on the area, and shortly afterwards numerous fires broke out. Siemens s cable works were also set on fire. LARGE SCALE OFFENSIVE.

Details showing that the heavy air attack on military objectives in Berlin last night was part of a large-scale general bombing offensive are contained in an Air Ministry communique, which states that in addition to the strong forces of the; R.A.F. detailed to bomb objectives in the Berlin area and the enemy-occupied Channel ports, other forces of our bombers last night attacked the aircraft works at Wis mar, the lock gates on the Kiel Canal the shipyards and docks at Hamburg, Ouxhaven, Bremerliaven, Bremen, and Wismar, the goods yards at Munster and Hanover, railway communications in North Germany, and several enemy aerodromes. Yesterday aircraft of the Coastal Command shot down an enemy bomber into the sea. _ , Aircraft of the Coastal Command carried out operations against the Germanoccupied naval station at Brest early on Tuesday morning. Over a torpedoboat station, oil tanks, and stores a long line of bombs were dropped, and heavy explosions were followed by four distinct fires. A pillar of dense black smoke was seen over the harbour, and the flames were visible more than 30 miles from the French coast. Other aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked Zeebrugge and laid sticks of bombs across the canal mouth. Unusually large flashes followed the explosion of salvoes. . .. A Berlin message says it is officially announced that the raid last night resulted in 11 being- killed, and 14 wounded.