OVER BERLIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24411, 24 September 1940, Page 7

OVER BERLIN

BRITISH BOMBERS TWO-HOUR RAID ENEMY BASES HAMMERED R.A.F. VISITS TO NORWAY (United Press Association) (By Electric Telearaph -Copyright) .LONDON, Sept. 23. (Received Sept. 24. at 0.30 a.m.) The "all clear" was sounded in the London area much earlier than usual, but after a short, respite the sirens were again sounded, after which bombs fell in the csntral London area. As the raiders departed before dawn news came from Berlin that three waves of British bombers, flying over Holland', attacked North Germany during the night, visiting the Brandenburg, Potsdam and Oranienburs areas. A Berlin message states that an air raid alarm in Berlin lasted for over two hours. Three Squadrons over Germany The R.A.F. hammered German invasion bases on the French coast again last night and also bombed what was called " an important target in Germany." The Berlin raid, the first for a week, lasted from just before midnight until 2 a.m. A Nazi spokesman said that three squadrons of bombers were over Germany. Two of them flew towards the northwest, and one made for Berlin. He made the contradictory statement that "the enemy did not penetrate far," and that : ' he did not manage to cause much damage in Berlin:" Anti-aircraft guns were in action in the centre of the city. Germans in Norway The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press says the R.A.F. last night bombed Trondheim and the Nordland railway. German anti-aircraft guns shot down one plane, and are reported to have damaged several. The Norwegian authorities refused to disclose the damage to the railway. Large German reinforcements are reported to have been sent to northern Norway during the last few days, and have been placed in every important town from Trondheim to Kirkenes. This probably explains the recently-increased virits of the R.A.F. to northern Norway. The Germans in the week ended midnight on September 20 lost 280 planes. Britain lost 69, including 12 bombers over Germany and occupied areas. Italy lost 11. The total losses during the war are now: — German ..'• .... 4385 British 1313 Italian ...... 197 Travellers and seamen arriving in Stockholm from Germany increasingly and persistently report effects of the R.A.F. night raids, especially on the temper of the eGrmans, who are increasingly impatient. Enthusiasm is said to be declining, even among the troops in Belgium and Holland. The belief is growing that the German army has bitten off more than it can chew.