LONGEST FOR MANY MONTHS IN BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1940, Page 5

LONGEST FOR MANY MONTHS IN BRITAIN

Attacks on London Resumed Last Evening GERMAN FIGHTER BOMBERS SHOT DOWN IN CHANNEL HEAVY R.A.F. RAIDS ON DUSSELDORF AND OTHER TARGETS Britain has had its longest respite from enemy air raids for many months, the 8.8. C. reports. Sporadic enemy raids were made on Yarmouth and another town, but the damage was slight. In London, German raiders early last evening broke a long period of quietness, extending over two whole days and one night. A number of incendiary and high explosive bombs were dropped and there were some casualties. Until yesterday morning, the-'British shores had been clear of raiders for about 20 hours. One German fighter-bomber was shot down over the Channel yesterday afternoon after a chase by -three Spitfires. On Saturday night a heavy and sustained attack was made by the R.A.F. on industrial and military targets in Dusseldorff and elsewhere in Germany and German-occupied territory. A severe raid was made on blast furnaces and steel works in Dusseldorff, a mass attack being launched on these works, on which 4000 incendiaries, to say nothing of a large number of explosive bombs were dropped. The first fires became a long string of fires amid a cloud of smoke and the whole works were soon enveloped in a wall of flames half a mile round. Goods yards and armaments works were also attacked. Other objectives included the ports of Antwerp, Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne, aerodromes in Holland, Belgium and France and shipyards and docks at Lorient and Brest. Two British planes are missing. A neutral observer, the American journalist, Mr Warren Irving, estimates that the output of industrial plants bombed in Germany has been reduced by thirty per cent.