THE BERLIN RAID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 9

THE BERLIN RAID

STRONG BOMBER FORCES MILITARY OBJECTIVES A SUSTAINED ATTACK < British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Oct. 1. An Air Ministry communique states: The R.A.F. visit to Berlin last night consisted of a sustained attack on objectives carried out by strong bomber forces. Other forces attacked oil refineries at Leuna and Hanover, an aircraft factory at feotenburg. a munition factory near Magdeburg, goods yards and rail communications at Bremen. Ehrang, Osnabruck. Mannheim, and Brussels. docks at Cuxhaven and Amsterdam, the Channel ports of Ostend, Dunkirk. Calais and Boulogne, and Le Havre and several enemy aerodromes. In the course of these operations aircraft of the Bomber Command engaged and shot down an enemy aircraft into the sea. Coastal Command aircraft, operating with the Fleet Air Arm, attacked docks and petrol stores at Rotterdam and Vlaaraingen shipping and stores at Ostend. and set fire to an oil dump at Hamsede aerodrome. Five of our aircraft are missing. Power Station Damaged Further details of the longest R.A.F. attack on military objectives in Berlin last night show that the West power station, which was badly damaged in previous raids, was clearly identified by flares, and a few minutes after the first stick of bombs had fallen there was a large explosion and numerous fires to mark the success of the attack. The Klingenberg power station was also heavily bombed. Railways were hit and a factory set alight. Heavy bombers remained over Berlin from 10.30 p.m. to past 2 o’clock this morning.

Other R.A.F. bombers operated over widely-separated targets in Germany. At the railway yards at Mannheim the bomb bursts were followed a second or two later by a violent explosion which developed into long lines of explosions so fierce and bright that our aircraft were lit up by them. The crew considered that either ammunition trains or a series of dumps had gone up. The oil refineries at Hanover and Leuna, east of Leipzig, were also left ablaze. Bluish coloured explosions at Leuna. which was severely damaged some weeks ago, followed the dropping of many incendiary bombs. One ver# large fire, started in a building in the centre target, remained visible for 10 minutes to our departing aircraft, and many lesser fires and explosions were seen. The Associated Press Berlin correspondent says the R.A.F. last night dropped at least one high explosive bomb near the Zimmerstrasse, Berlin’s Fleet street, which is only a stone’s throw from the huge Air Ministry building and Potsdam station.

A German communique says the British planes were prevented from executing attacks on northern and western Germany. A few reached Berlin and dropped bombs from a great height. The damage everywhere was small, but a number of civilians were killed and injured.