SHATTERING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 March 1942, Page 3

SHATTERING BLOWS

STRUCK BY BRITISH BOMBERS IN GERMANY & OCCUPIED FRANCE. COLOSSAL EXPLOSIONS IN ESSEN. LONDON, March 9. For the second day in succession and the third time in a week, British bombers have struck a blow at Hitler's war machine in Occupied France. A small force of H.A.F. bombers, escorted by figliters, attacked a power station near Bethune, in .North-Bast France. Further details arc awaited. It is known that three enemy fighters were destroyed. We lost four fighters. The Germans are also getting a taste of the medicine promised them. Last night the British main effort was concentrated on the great armament centre of Essen. Bombs were also dropped on other parts of the Ruhr, besides the docks at Ostend and Le Havre and enemy airfields in Holland. The raid on Essen caused tremendous destruction. Very heavy loads of bombs were dropped into the heart of the industrial centre. Great fires broke out and vividly lighted up buildings, which presented a wonderful target to later planes. Our big bombs exploded with shattering effect and caused colossal explosions. DAYLIGHT BOMBING USE OF AMERICAN PLANES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 9. It is stated in London that yesterday’s daylight bombing operations in France were carried out by Americanbuilt Douglas Bostons, which are now coming into service with the Bomber Command. It will be remembered that aircraft of this type have for some time been doing excellent work with the Fighter Command, where they arc known as Havocs. MANY TARGETS EIGHT BRITISH AIRCRAFT MISSING. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 9. An Air Ministry communique states:. “Last night R.A.F. bombers heavily attacked Essen and other objectives in the industrial districts of the Ruhr. Enemy airfields in Holland and docks at Ostend and Havre also were bombed. “Fighter aircraft attacked enemy airfields in Holland and Northern France. “Eight of our bombers are missing.” HEAVY LOAD DROPPED TREMENDOUS DAMAGE DONE IN ESSEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 9. In last night’s attack on Essen and the Ruhr, a very load of bombs was dropped in the heart of Germany’s greatest industrial concentration, states an Air Ministry bulletin. Our crews, on their return, described how effectively fires were started, and towards the end of the attack crews saw many large fires, which appeared to be spreading. The crew of one Wellington counted 22 fires, all of which were big, as well as many others. Bombs burst in and among the fires with devastating effect. ENEMY RAIDS NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED IN BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 9. There was some enemy activity over Britain, mainly over the east and north-east coasts. Bombs were dropped at several points, causing a small number of casualties, including one person killed. The damage was slight One enemy bomber was destroyed. Yesterday afternoon enemy aircraft dropped bombs at points on the south coast. A small number- of persons were killed, and some damage was done. It is now known that yesterday afternoon an enemy bomber was destroyed off the east coast by anti-air-craft fire. THREAT TO STRIKE MADE BY FRENCH WORKERS. UNLESS RAID SHELTERS ARE PROVIDED. LONDON, March 8. The “Daily Mail” says the R.A.F. bombing of the French factories has caused 100,000 workers at Lille producing German war equipment to threaten to strike next week unless deep shelters are provided. The workers’ leaders emphasise that the majority* of the people killed in the Paris raid were workers and declare that the Renault works had insufficient and inefficient shelters. The Paris Press gives prominence to a suggestion that British nationals living in unoccupied France should be arrested and executed in proportion to the number of Frenchmen killed in future R.A.F. raids. PETAIN ANSWERED. Marshal Petain’s reference to the Royal Air Force raid on the Renault factory at Billancourt as “criminal aggression” is countered swiftly by the British Press. The “Sunday Times” declares that not for the first time the average Frenchman will disagree with the Marshal, and gives some cold facts as food for thought. “The Renault works,” it says, “have undoubtedly been producing war material for Germany. The production'

of lorries in France has more than doubled since the beginning of the war. Nearly all of it goes to Germany, and the yearly output is sufficient to equip with motor transport 20 or 30 motorised divisions. One-quarter of this production has come from the Renault works. Yet Admiral Darlan’s spokesman had the temerity to refer the other day to ‘a few lorries we are making for Germany.’ “In a war such as this it would be criminal neglect if we did not strike at German war production, whether in Germany or German-occupied territory. The Renault works are part of the German war machine. Only by its destruction can we bring about that defeat of Germany for which the true France daily prays.”