KNOCK-OUT BLOWS

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1940, Page 7

KNOCK-OUT BLOWS

HEAVY BOMBS RESERVED MOST DESTRUCTIVE YET

Rec. 12.45 a.m. Berlin, Sept. 9. Authorised quarters at Berlin claim that the heaviest bombs, the most destructive Germany possesses, are being reserved for knock-out blows against special objectives. It is claimed they are capable of levelling anything within 500 yards of the explosion, which tosses bombers like boats in a wild sea even thousands of feet up. Military observers at "Berlin agree that this is the beginning of the reprisals announced in Herr Hitler's speech, said a message received during the height of air raids on London. The German official news agency threatens that London will be bombed with millions of pounds of bombs while the British night attacks continue against non-military objectives.. Reich-Marshal Goering sai3: "A terrific attack is progpessing against London. Herr Hitler has entrusted me with the task of attacking the heart of the British Empire." Authorised sources state that 500 planes participatpd in Saturday's raids on London. The German news agency says that the British assisted the Germans by playing searchlights among the barrage balloons, which the Germans were then able to avoid. The Berlin radio, boasting of the air victory, claims that 87 British planes were shot down. Heaviest Calibre Bombs. A German communique states: "Our air force again attacked objectives of special military and economic value in London yesterday with exceptionally strong forces, using the heaviest calibre bombs. These attacks were reprisals for the British night attacks on residential quarters and othfer non-military objectives. Reich-Marshal Goering is personally conducting operations from the north of France. A million kilogrammes of bombs of all calibres thus far have fallen on harbour and industrial areas of the Thames, hitting and partially destroying quaysides, merchantmen, docks, warehouses, power, water and gas works, arsenals, factories and traffic communications. "Enormous conflagrations are raging in the vicinity of the docks. Powerful advance fighters fought a way for the bombers, which also attacked large oil depots and dock installations at Thameshaven, explosive factories at Chatham and an aerodrome at Hawkings. Bombers also raided industrial harbour targets at Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Southampton, Portsmouth, Portland and ten other localities. "The enemy flew over Germany. One wave headed south-westward, bombing sporadically and causing no damage. Another formation of British bombers attempted to raid Berlin but, forced back by concentrated defence action, dropped bombs prematurely, damaging a church at Hamm. The enemy yesterday lost 94 planes and 26 of ours are missing. "A U-boat sank four armed enemy merchantmen totalling 33,400 tons and damaged a further 4000-ton vessel. Two l torpedoboats on September 6 encountered a strongly guarded convoy and sank three heavily-laden steamers totalling 11,000 tons. A German prize crew scuttlcd a captured enemy merchantinan after meeting a British warship."