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COLOGNE ABLAZE

UNDER TREMENDOUS BRITISH RAID BOMBER PILOT’S DESCRIPTION CITY ONE BIG STRETCH OF FIRE. ANTICIPATIONS IN BRITAIN & UNITED STATES. LONDON May 31. “It was almost too gigantic to be real. Below us in every part of the city buildings were ablaze. Here and there you could see their outlines, but mostly it was just one big stretch of fire. It was strange to see the flames reflected on our aircraft, and it looked at times as if we were on Are ourselves, with the red glow dancing up and down the wings.”

This description of the scene over Cologne last night was given by the pilot of a Halifax bomber.

The Germans lit fires on the outskirts of Cologne to lure oui’ bombers, but compared with the blaze from our bombs these fires were only pinpricks. Air Vice-Marshal J. E. A. Baldwin was responsible for the organisation, and when he finished the work at his desk he said: “I want to see things for myself,” and went in a bomber over Cologne. The pall of smoke was still over the city this morning. “We are not gloating over Cologne,” said the 8.8. C. in its European broadcast today. “We are even sorry for the women and children who may have suffered. But when we remember Warsaw, Rotterdam, Coventry and Belgrade, then we harden our hearts.” The “Daily Express” in a leading article says: “Air Marshal Harris claimed that if we could send 1000 bombers nightly over Germany the war would be finished in the autumn. We have reached that number on one night. We must be ready to follow with armies where the R.A.F.’s bombs have led. We have the tank boys as well as the bomber b'oys, who are the best of their kind in the world.” The “Daily Telegraph” says that the decision to unleash over 1000 bombers against Cologne was taken by the War Cabinet on the advice of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

The aeronautical correspondent of “The Times” says that many of a new 40001 b. type of bombs were among the heavy-calibre bombs which were used by the raiders. A message from Washington says that in the view of many observers there the raid against Cologne signalised the opening of the second European front. “In other words, it is on,” Representative McCormack, the majority leader in the House, declared jubilantly on hearing the news. Mr McCormack’s comment is reflected in the general Congressional reaction. Senator Connally, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said: “It is only the forerunner of more activity on the Western Front, and it is prophetic of what the United Nations will do on that front when they are ready.” Representative Bloom called the raid a wonderful feat and said he hoped the British would keep up the good work. Senator George declared, “It looks like the beginning of a real air offensive on the Western Front. It may be a very great contribution to the fighting forces on the eastern and other fronts.” BRITISH BOMBERS READY TO FOLLOW UP COLOGNE BLITZ. BUT DELAYED BY WEATHER. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, June 1. Despite the huge force employed in the Cologne attack, the fact that other bombers were ready last night for a further attack against Germany indicates most 1 forcibly the mighty air power Britain now has at her disposal. However the weather last night over the Continent was unfavourable for large-scale operations and the planned raid was called off. The German newspaper “Der Montag” states: “Churchill wants to please Stalin by establishing this kind of second front. One or more British towns will feel most severe punishment for this raid.”

NAZI REPRISAL

FIFTY BOMBERS ATTACK CANTERBURY. THREE RAIDERS SHOT DOWN. LONDON, June 1. It is officially stated that about 50 enemy planes last night attacked the cathedral city of Canterbury. There is no doubt that the cathedral was a target, but it is not proposed to help the Germans by saying whether it was hit. There were casualties and damage elsewhere. Another message' states that of the 50 or 60 German aircraft that were over Britain last night, three, were destroyed. DAYLIGHT ATTACKS FOUR SWEEPS OVER FRANCE & BELGIUM. DOCKS AT BRUGES BOMBED. LONDON, June 1. Four 'sweeps over Occupied ■ France and Belgium were made today by the R.A.F. Bombs were dropped on the docks at Bruges. Two German planes were shot down. Nihe of our fighters did not return. The pilot of one is safe. PART IN BIG RAID TAKEN BY NEW ZEALAND BOMBER SQUADRON. AS WELL AS BY OTHERS FROM THIS COUNTRY. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, June 1. The New Zealand Bomber Squad'ron took part in the big raid on Col-

ogne, when a thousand planes dropped ten tons of bombs per minute. All the members of the squadron returned safely. Wing Commander E. G. Olson, of New Plymouth, said: “Everything went to schedule. All the boys said it was a grand trip.” It can be taken for granted that many New Zealanders throughout the R.A.F.—probably a hundred or so—were among the crews bombing Cologne, for New Zealanders are to be found at nearly every station throughout Britain, sometimes in groups, or in ones or twos.

The New Zealand High Commissioner (Mr Jordan) will pay a visit on June 3 to New Zealand airmen who participated in the Cologne raid.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19420602.2.25

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1942, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
899

COLOGNE ABLAZE Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1942, Page 3

COLOGNE ABLAZE Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1942, Page 3

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