EFFECTIVE BOMBING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1941, Page 5

EFFECTIVE BOMBING

IN SPITE OF WEATHER THUNDERSTORMS & SEVEREICING. LAST PLANES FORCED DOWN ON WAY HOME. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 8. Berlin, Cologne and Mannheim were some of the objectives in the operations over Germany and occupied territory carried out last night by the R.A.F. It is authoritatively stated that the raids were the heaviest yet made, and cost the R.A.F. 37 machines. The weather conditions yesterday afternoon when the operations were worked out promised to be good over the Continent, and 'it was felt justifiable to send out a heavy-scale attackToward the Berlin area the weather became adverse with severe thunderstorms and icing conditions at most levels. The size of the losses was entirely due to the weather conditions and not to the improved German defences. It is not considered that the proportion of losses due to combat can have been high, since the weather obviously applied equally to the German night fighters. An Air Ministry communique states: Very bad weather was encountered over the interior of Germany, but Stirling, Halifax, Wellington and Whitney bombers reached the Berlin area in large numbers and dropped their bombs in spite of thunderstorms and severe icing. At Cologne, Manchesters and Hampdens had good successes. Several other towns in Germany were bombed, as well as the docks at Boulogne and Ostend. Mines were also laid in enemy waters. A number of our bombers were forced down by the weather during the return journey. A total of 37 of our aircraft are reported missing.” ,