BIG FORCE ENCAGED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 March 1940, Page 5

BIG FORCE ENCAGED

INTENSE ANTLAIRCRAFT FIRE HANGARS SEEN BURNING FERCELY. ATTACK WATCHED FROM DANISH COAST. LONDON, March 20. It is not known how many planes took part in the raids, but it is understood that there were more than have been employed in any previous operation. An Air Ministry communique says that all machines have returned safely, with the exception of one, which must be presumed to have been lost. Early reports indicated that heavy damage had been inflicted on hangars, slipways and workshops. As the Air Ministry gathered further knowledge of the results of the attack it announced that the Hornum base had been extensively damaged by direct hits on slips and hangars. Later, returning pilots added the information that railway lines and barracks were also hit. One of the last crews to leave said they saw two hangars burning fiercely. So continuous were the raids that some of the machines were back at their bases before others taking part had reached their objective. By 3.30 a.m. all planes then due back had returned safely, but the final tally found one missing. The last machine to leave Sylt reached its base at 5.30 a.m. Enemy searchlight and anti-aircraft activity grew in intensity as the raids progressed, but the raiders encountered little opposition from German fighters. On the Danish coast hundreds of people assembled. Some of these watchers, according to reports from Copenhagen, estimate that more than 100 bombs were dropped. One man said the ammunition dump had undoubtedly been hit. A wall of fire seemed to spread along the whole island, with heavy bomb explosions coming in rapid succession. Two attacks were seen to be made on the Hindenburg Dam and huge sheets of flame and smoke arose from a place where the dam had apparently been hit. SURVEY OF DAMAGE BRITISH PLANES TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. LONDON. MjH-ch 20. At about 9 a.m. today two more R.A.F. machines flew over Sylt. The flight was presumably made to enable photographs to be taken of damage done by the raids during the night. Further reports from pilots who participated in the attacks all indicate that heavy damage was done. In addition to earlier reports, it was said that a fire was seen to be raging near a seaplane slipway. Latest reports from Denmark say that explosions are still being heard from the island. In making an announcement of the raid at 10.20 p.m. in the House of Commons, when he said that the attack was still continuing,. Mr Chamberlain explained that the news had been received by wireless from the leading aircraft. Mr Chamberlain’s report on the raid

came 400 miles from the leading plane while it was directing the attack. Officials rushed the decoded messages to Mr Chamberlain who made them public before the end of the raid. This is probably unprecedented.