STRUCK BY THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
Greatest Air Attack in History of World MADE ON HEART OF INDUSTRIAL GERMANY MORE THAN A THOUSAND BOMBERS EMPLOYED LONDON. May 31. MORE THAN A THOUSAND BRITISH BOMBERS LAST NIGHT ATTACKED THE INDUSTRIAL HEART OF GERMANY. IT WAS THE GREATEST AIR ATTACK THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. THE INDUSTRIAL CITY OF COLOGNE WAS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE, BUT IN ADDITION THE ATTACK EXTENDED TO 15 MAIN ROADS, SIX MAIN RAILWAY LINES AND A NETWORK OF CANALS. ' The Air Ministry states that the attack was an outstanding success. Besides the force of over 1000 bombers which took part in the raid on Cologne, about 250 additional aircraft, representing all commands, engaged in diversionary raids. Three thousand tons of bombs were dropped, which was more than four times the load carried on any previous raid on one objective. Some of our latest giant bombers were sent out loaded with eight tons of bombs apiece. The attack was concentrated in a period of 90 minutes and was so arranged that planes came over at six second intervals. This effectively dispersed German gunfire and searchlights and prevented particular attention being paid to any single aircraft for any length of time. At dawn huge fires were burning in Cologne which could be seen on the coast of Holland, 140 miles away, and a pall of smoke nearly three miles high hung over the burning city. We lost 44 planes, the highest in any single raid, but the loss is small compared with the number of planes employed. NAZIS SCREAMING WITH RAGE The Germans admit that fires and explosions caused great damage and are screaming with rage and are threatening reprisals. Before the great armada of more than 1000 bombers set out, a message from Air Marshal A. T. Harris, Chief of the > Bomber Command, was read to the pilots: “Let them have it right on the chin.” The Air Marshal’s message also stated: The force of which you form part is at least twice the size and of more than four times the carrying capacity of the largest air force ever before concentrated on one objective. You have an opportunity to strike a blow at the enemy which will resound not only throughout Europe but throughout the world. In your hands lies the means of destroying the major part of the resources by which the enemy war effort is maintained. Press home your attacks to your predetermined objective with the utmost determination and resolution, in the full knowledge that if you individually succeed it must shatter and destroy industrial resources very vital to the enemy.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1942, Page 3
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435STRUCK BY THE ROYAL AIR FORCE Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1942, Page 3
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