MIGHTY BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1941, Page 5

MIGHTY BLOWS

STRUCK BY 300 BRITISH BOMBERS

AGAINST GERMAN INDUSTRIAL CITIES.

TWELVE OF OUR PLANES LOST.

LONDON, August 15.

Throe, of the most impovtant manufacturing centres of Germany were rocked last night in a concentrated attack made by one of the most powerful format ions yet sent out by the R.A.IL More than 300 plain's, including some of the latest types, took part. Objectives in Hanover. Magdeburg and Brunswick were bombed, Hanover having the heaviest pounding.

These bombs were dropped on the great ammunition factories and war factories and caused fires that acted as beacons to bombers fifty miles away. Twelve planes were lost, four per cent of the total force engaged. There was only slight enemy activity over this country last night and very little damage is reported. During daylight a single enemy plane dropped bombs in East Anglia but caused neither casualties nor damage.

NAZI MOVE

CONCEALMENT OF NAMES OF RAIDED CITIES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. August 14. A tribute to the Air Ministry policy consistently pursued since the air raids on this country began of giving only the slightest-details of the targets attacked by the enemy comes from Germany. Explaining that the R.A.F. attacks are bound to increase, the official Nazi radio stated that in future the names of cities raided would not bo given and the German people must curb their “natural anxiety to learn the truth.” Though the results of the R.A.F.’s visitation would be apparent on the following morning to those living in the vicinity, "yet in spite of this, the High Command is forced to observe strict reticence in its reports because the enemy, too, has particular interest in learning where and on what target his airmen scored hits. A seemingly inconspicuous news item may often give dangerous indications to the enemy.”

MANY FIRES

STARTED IN TARGET AREAS.

BLENHEIMS SCORE DIRECT HITS ON SUPPLY SHIP.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, August 15.

An Air Ministry communique states: “Last night’s operations of the Bomber Command were on a heavy scale and more than 300 aircraft took part. The main targets were industries and communications at Hanover, Brunswick and Magdeburg and many fires were started. At Hanover, these were especially large. Subsidiary attacks were made on docks at Rotterdam and Boulogne. Twelve of our aircraft are missing.

“Blenheims operating against enemy shipping off the Frisian Islands yesterday scored direct hits on a supply ship, which was left in flames and sinking. One aircraft is missing from these daylight operations.”