ACCORDING TO PLAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 April 1941, Page 5

ACCORDING TO PLAN

BERLIN AGAIN BLASTED INTIMATION BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT. GERMAN CAPITAL CHEQUERED WITH FIRES. LONDON, April 18. On. Thursday night the R..A.F. carried out its heaviest raid so far on Berlin. A statement issued by No. 10 Downing Street, said the raid was not a reprisal For the German raid on London on Wednesday night hul. was part of the British Government’s policy to bond) objectives most likely to weaken the military and industrial strength of the enemy.

Such attacks, it was added, will be continued to the end of the war with ever-increasing strength regardless if any further attacks are made on the British Isles or not.

In the raid on Berlin a new type of bomb was used, with five times the blasting power of any hitherto used. Two enemy night fighters were shot down. When the planes left the city was chequered with fires, for the most part in the heart of the capital. Many more bombs were dropped than in any previous raid on Berlin. Other planes raided targets in Holland, including Rotterdam, Cologne and other places in northwest Germany.

Eight British planes are missing.

ATTACKS BY DAY ON ENEMY-OCCUPIED PORTS. DOCKS ACCURATELY BOMBED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, April 18. An Air Ministry communique states: “Blenheim bombers, strongly escorted by several squadrons of fighters, carried out a day attack on Cherbourg yesterday. The enemy was taken by surprise and no enemy fighters were engaged. The weather over the target was clear and enabled very accurate bombing of docks to be carried out. None of these aircraft are missing. “During the day. a widespread search for enemy shipping was continued and several merchant vessels were attacked. One was damaged and probably sank. Another was blown up in harbour. “A number of very powerful bombs were dropped on targets in the centre of Berlin last night, during the heaviest attack yet made on the enemy's capital. Fires immediately broke out. The attack was pressed home and many bursts were seen across targets. Substantial damage certainly was done. “Bombs were also dropped on targets in Holland, including Rotterdam, on Cologne and on a number of places in north-west Germany. “Eight of our aircraft are missing.” TWO RAIDERS SHOT DOWN BOMBING AT PORTSMOUTH & ELSEWHERE. FEW CASUALTIES & LITTLE DAMAGE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, April 18. Portsmouth was the main target of last night’s enemy raids against Britain. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states that the attack lasted most of the night but that casualties were light and damage not severe. Southern, eastern and north-eastern England were also raided, but the casualties are few and there was no substantial damage. Two raiders are known to have been destroyed during the night.