HUGE EXPLOSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1943, Page 3

HUGE EXPLOSION

f BIG AMMUNITION DEPOT HIT AT WILHELMSHAVEN IN RECENT R.A.F. RAID. 150 ACRES DEVASTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 20. A huge explosion reported by our bomber crews over Wilhelmshaven on the night of February 11 is now known to have been the main ammunition sepot of the German naval base, states the Air Ministry news service. Crews at the time said that the explosion lit up the clouds for miles. The explosion, which occurred in the marine service base west of Tripitzhafen, where torpedoes, mining materials, depth charges, naval ammunition and much other explosive matter was stored, devastated 150 acres in one shattering moment. At least 40 out of the 50 sheds entirely disappeared. The blast damage extended far beyond this area; for instance, an oil tank 700 yards away collapsed. The blast must have shaken the whole of Wilhelmshaven, and there is probably not a pane of glass left there.

On the past two nights the Royal Air Force has made what were officially described as further “heavy attacks” on Wilhelmshaven.

Today’s communique states that last night aircraft of the Bomber Command made another heavy attack on Wilhelmshaven, and bombs were also dropped on other objectives in Germany. Bombers of the Army Co-oper-ation Command attacked an electric transformer station in France. One en-

emy fighter was destroyed by the bombers, . Eleven aircraft of the Bomber Command and three of the Army Cooperation Command are missing. The weather was not so good last night at Wilhelmshaven, but there was brilliant moonlight above broken cloud over the target. The attack was concentrated into less than half an hour. f .’J