GREAT ONSLAUGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1941, Page 6

GREAT ONSLAUGHT

BY BRITISH FIGHTERS & BOMBERS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE ATTACKS. MANY ENEMY PLANES PROBABLY DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RUGBY, August 28. “Since daylight today, aircraft of the Fighter Command have continued to take part in offensive operations, safely escorting bombers to Ijmuiden, in Holland, attacking enemy shipping and sweeping far

inland over enemy-occupied terri-

tory,” says the Air Ministry news service. “Many hundreds of fighters took part in these operations. “As a result of the strict checking system in claiming results, which the Fighter Command insists upon, only one Messerschmitt was claimed definitely as destroyed to 6 p.m. This machine was seen to crash, but it is believed that many others shared the same fate, though low cloud prevented our pilots seeing the end of their victims. Many pilots’ reports contain such statements as these:

“ ‘He spiralled down into a cloud out of control.’

“ ‘I saw pieces come off the Messerschmitt and it dived vertically into a cloud. It probably crashed.’ 1 “Although many enemy pilots avoided combat with our Spitfires and Hurricanes, others attacked our fighters when they were encountered in smaller numbers. One fighter pilot who attacked an E-boat from a thousand feet, reports hits by cannon-shells in the ship's magazine. Violent explosions followed.

“Other fighters safely escorted bombers to and from their target in Holland.”

“Bombers with escorts have now taken in hand factories in Holland where the Germans are making armaments.” another Air Ministry news service message states. “This morning Blenheims "of the Bomber Command, accompanied by many squadrons of fighters, attacked from fifty feet steel works and an iron foundry at Ijmuiden, which lies about a mile inland from the north side of Ijmuiden Harbour, where the North Sea Canal from Amsterdam flows in. The works produce high-grade pig-iron, such as is used for gas engines, cylinder steel for steam cylinders and strong low-carbon iron for Diesel cylinders, hydraulic presses and pistons. The rolling mill, a vital part of the works, was hit by several bombs release by the first wave of Blenheims. A second wave followed within a few minutes. More bombs burst between rows of chimneys in the centre of the works. “Before our bombers left the coast, they machine-gunned a barrack suare near the sand dunes.

“Later in the day, other forces of Blenheims, again protected by fighters, bombed industrial objectives and railways in Northern France.”