AIR WARFARE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1940, Page 6

AIR WARFARE

BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORTS ATTACK ON LONG-RANGE GUNS. TWENTY-ONE AERODROMES BOMBED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, August 23. The Air Ministry states: “Gun emplacements on the French coast, between Calais and Boulogne, were heavily attacked by R.A.F. bombers last night, after a convoy had been shelled in the Channel. Our aircraft encountered intense anti-aircraft fire, but maintained the attack for several hours.

“Targets in Germany bombed during the night included a synthetic oil plant at Bottrup, an aircraft factory at Frankfurt, a power station at Knapsack, near Cologne, a high-explosive factory at Griesheim, near Frankfurt and docks at the Rhine port of Duisberg. “Railway junctions at Manheim and Coblenz were attacked and goods sidings and Hamm and Soest were bombed as usual. “Attacks were also made on 22 aerodromes in Germany and occupied territory. The strong bomber force engaged in these operations returned safely, except that one aircraft made a forced landing and its crew were killed.”

An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states:. “Reports up to 4 p.m. show that enemy activities over Britain consisted of. attacks by a small number of aircraft, operating singly in widely separated areas. Indiscriminate machine-gun attacks were made in various places in the Midlands and the eastern districts'. A small number of casualties was caused, but none were fatal. Bombs were dropped in three localities, but there was only small - damage. Three more enemy aircraft were shot down, two by our fighters and one by antiaircraft fire, making the total four today. “It is learned that our fighters shot down another enemy during yesterday’s battles, bringing yesterday’s total to ten.”