BERLIN ABLAZE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1941, Page 3

BERLIN ABLAZE

UNDER ROYAL AIR FORCE ATTACK (Continued from page 5.) ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN. As on previous occasions, the Germans also did their best to stop our bombers both on the way across to Germany and on the way back. There were barriers of searchlights to catch the bombers and guide the night fighters toward them. After one bomber had almost cleared on of these walls of light, a fighter came in from astern and opened fire. The British rear gunner held his fire, and then answered with a short burst. The enemy held on his course till he passed the bomber, and then, before he had time to turn, the front gunner loosed a burst. A second or two later the fighter was silhouetted against the moon and then dropped like a stone, with smoke pouring from him. After this action, the pilot immediately resumed his course for Berlin, but when he looked to see what damage had been done during the fight, he saw his gauges showing rapid loss of petrol, which suggested to him that the petrol tanks had been hit and the holes had not sealed up. If the gauges were telling the truth he decided he might as well finish the job and go on to Berlin. As it turned out the gauges and not the tank were at fault. The aircraft bombed Berlin and made a safe return to its base. Emden and other objectives in northwest Germany were also attacked. During daylight yesterday aircraft of the same command bombed railway traffic and a wireless station in Denmark. In south Norway last night'aircraft of the Coastal Command successfully bombed aluminium works at Hoyanger, and during the afternoon a Blenheim bomber of the same command carried out a daring attack from a very low level on a naval unit at Brest. Late last evening an enemy fighter was shot down at sea off Ramsgate. During the night offensive fighter patrols were active over occupied France and made a number of attacks with bombs and ma-chine-guns. Point is., lent to Mr Churchill’s remarks on the increasing weight of the R.A.F’s. attack on Germany by the story of a second raid on Tuesday night on Kiel, before this important naval base had had time to recover from the shock of the assault on Monday. Aircraft of the Bomber Command were again in force, and the weather was perfect, till a pall of smoke produced by the raid itself obscured the view. But this artificial fog was continuously rent and lifted by the force of explosions on the ground. Even at the opening of the attack high explosives began to shatter buildings in the dockyard and town.