BERLIN AGAIN BOMBED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24413, 26 September 1940, Page 7

BERLIN AGAIN BOMBED

—♦♦♦ TWO NIGHT RAIDS HEAVIEST OF WAR VITAL WORKS DAMAGED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 25. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.45 p.m.) For the second night in succession British bombers were over Berlin last night, the raid lasting for three hours. No Air Ministry report concerning the operations has yet been issued, but Berlin announcements state that incendiary and high explosive bombs were dropped. A Berlin message states that an air raid alarm which lasted nearly three hours last night again sent Berliners scurrying to their ■belters. High explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped, refaulting'in civilian victims: The raiders were apparently fewer than on the previous night. BERLIN’S ADMISSION OF DAMAGE A further Berlin message states that it is officially admitted that R.A.F. raiders on Monday night directly hit two Berlin factories. Flames in North Berlin were not controlled until late in the day. Bombs were dropped beside gasworks, after which the pressure was very low-, in homes oyer a wide area. An interurban railway was damaged and traffic interrupted. One line was closed all morning. The evening newspapers feature the R.A.F.’s “ wicked attack on Berlin civilians ” and reveal that the bomb crater at the gasworks was 30 feet wide. Other bombs tore huge holes in a dozen apartment houses and destroyed houses on the outskirts of the city.

Referring to the raids on Monday night an Air Ministry communique states; “Throughout the night strong bomber forces of the R.A.F. delivered heavy attacks on military objectives in and around Berlin. This attack was on a much larger scale than any yet carried out, and preliminary reports show that extensive damage was done. “Among the targets selected by our aircraft and heavily bombed were the Rangsdorf railway station and several railway yards, including that at Grunewald, the west tower of the Wimersdorf electric power station, the gasworks at Danzinstrasse and Neukoln, factories at Charlottenburg and Spandau, including the Brandenburg motor works, and other objectives. “ During night operations over the Channel, ports in enemy occupation were vigorously attacked. Three of our aircraft have not returned.” According to the Air Ministry bulletin the R.A.F. attacks on Berlin were carefully planned and lasted several hours. How well the general scheme worked out may be judged by the comments of the commanding officer of one large station. He said: “My aircraft went out at regular intervals and came back as regularly, just like well-organised trains.” POWER STATIONS HAMMERED The West power station and power stations at Wilmersdorf, Charlottenburg, Klingbenberg, and Moabit, all within the Berlin area, came in for a steady hammering. Many fires were seen to break out. One aircraft alone started five large fires visible 80 miles away. Another reported a power station alight at four different poinfs. At Klingenberg and Wilmersdorf it was the same story, bombs bursting on power stations and flames leaping high. One pilot attacking a large gasworks saw his bomb burst among buildings. Other pilots attacking the same target later left a string of smallish fires in the target area. One of them said: “We must have hit this gasworks fair and square. Our bombs started another line 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 B.M.W. aero engine works many bombs were dropped on the area and shortly afterwards numerous fires broke out. Siemens cable work? was also set on fire. GERMAN VERSION OF ATTACKS The German News Agency announced that several British planes on Monday night flew over the northern and eastern suburbs of Berlin, dropping bombs and deliberately attacking residential Quarters. Dwellings were damaged and several civilians killed and injured. There was no military damage. Reports from neutral sources indicate that the British bombers arrived in waves and apparently set fire to at least two warehouses or factories. Anti-aircraft fragments peppered Berlin throughout the raid. The authorities state that mostly incendiaries were dropped and most of the fires were extinguished. It is officially stated in Berlin that Monday’s raid resulted in 11 being killed and 14 wounded.