PORTS BATTERED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 258, 28 September 1940, Page 7

PORTS BATTERED

ANOTHER R.A.F. SORTIE.

KIEL BOMBED

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

(British Official Wireless.)

(Rec. II a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 27. An Air Ministry communique states that aircraft of the R.A.F. last nisrlit made further heavy attacks on the Channel ports, including Ostend, Calais, Boulogne, and Le Havre, where particularly heavy damage was observed.

Kiel and other military objectives in North-West Germany were successfully bombed. One of our aircraft is missing. During Thursday night’s R.A.F. raid on Kiel a large vessel at anchor is believed to have received a direct hit. One pilot reported leaving a colossal red and orange fire on the east side of the harbour basin. A large fire was also started on the west side, and another vessel is presumed to have been hit.

Along the Dortmund-Ems Canal bombs were seen to straddle the new aqueduct and a salvo of high-explosives filled the lock gates. In Berlin it is decreed that the schools will not open on mornings after raids lasting after midnight. Instruction is to be made up in the afternoons. The public are ordered not to visit bombed areas. Theatres are opening at 6.30 p.m., an hour earlier than usual. GALLANTRY REWARDED.

The King has conferred the Victoria Cross on Sergeant John Hannah in recognition of most conspicuous bravery. ■Sergeant Hannah, who is 18 and lives at Glasgow, was the wireless operator and air gunner in an aircraft engaged in a successful attack on large concentrations of barges on the night of September 15, states an Air Ministry bulletin. The aircraft was ‘hit by a projectile of an explosive and incendiary nature, which apparently burst inside the bomb compartment. A fire was started and quickly enveloped the cockpits of the wireless operator and rear gunner. The port and starboard petrol tanks being pierced, there was a grave danger of the fire spreading. Sergeant Hannah forced his way through the fire to obtain two extinguishers, and discovered the rear gunner had been forced to leave the aircraft. He could have done t'he same, hut remained and fought the fire for ten minutes with the extinguishers, then beating the flames with his log book.

During this time thousands of rounds of ammunition exploded in all directions and Sergeant Hannah was almost blinded by the intense heat and fumes, but he had the presence of mind to turn on his oxygen supply.

The air rushing through the large holes caused by the projectile made the bomb compartment an inferno, and al] the aluminium sheet metal on the floor of this airman’s cockpit was melted away, leaving only t'he cross bearers. . Sergeant Hannah, his face and eyes burned, succeeded in extinguishing the fire and crawled forward. He ascertained that the navigator had left the aircraft, and passed the latter s log maps to the pilot. This airman displayed courage, coyness and devotion to duty of the highest order, and by his action enabled the pilot to bring the aircraft saiely to its base.