IN BRITISH AIR ONSLAUGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1942, Page 3

IN BRITISH AIR ONSLAUGHT

Cologne & Trondheim Battered in Night Attacks

THREE DAYLIGHT SWEEPS OVER NORTHERN FRANCE

ENEMY "REPRISAL” RAID ON NORWICH

LONDON, April 28

Since the R.A.F. started its latest and greatest offensive on Thursday night it has given the enemy no respite. For 1-0 solid hours the R.A.F. has blitzed Germany and the northern coast of German occupied Europe and there are still no signs of any slackening. . x , „ In daylight today, bombers and fighters made three oiiensiye sweeps over Northern France. As soon as it was -light. Hurricane bombers, escorted by Spitfires, attacked objectives a St Omer, where the aerodromes could not have recovered from the pasting they received yesterday. Before noon, Bostons made another sweep over St Omer. This time there was plenty of anti-aircraft gunfire and fighters were in force. In spite 01 this, the Bostons scored hits on the railway yard and station buildings. We brought down three enemy fighters. The third sweep was made this afternoon when our planes penetrated several miles inland from Calais without meeting with any opposition. From all these operations six fighters are missing. Last night’s bombing attacks were directed chiefly against the Rhineland city of Cologne and Trondheim, in Norway. Targets in Cologne were picked out easily by our bombers in clear moonlight and when our aircraft left great fires were burning. . Cologne is the third city of the Reich and its most important industrial centre. The Germans report damage and casualties. Chemicals, machinery and soap are the main produce of Cologne, which has had other raids, the last at the beginning of this month.

The effect of the attack on Trondheim may not be known for some time. It is believed that the Germans have been developing’ Trondheim into a great naval base, with submarine yards. The battleship Tirpitz and other enemy warships were last reported there. The docks at Dunkirk and other targets were also bombed. Seventeen of our bombers and one fighter are missing. An Air Ministry communique states that three enemy fighters were destroyed in daylight operations yesterday. Reconnaissance has shown that during the recent four consecutive night attacks on the German Baltic port of Rostock, the assembly shops at the Heinkel factory and other buildings were seriously damaged. German raiders last night switched their so-called reprisal raids from Bath to the East Anglian city of Norwich. Damage was widespread and thepe were a good many casualties. Many fires .were started in the attack which lasted for more than an hour.