BRITISH AIRMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21188, 10 August 1940, Page 7

BRITISH AIRMEN

INSTRUCTIONS TO PILOTS ONLY MILITARY OBJECTIVES GROPING FOR TARGETS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Aug. 8 The scrupulous care which British pilots are expected to exercise to bomb only military objectives was emphasised by a flying-officer of a Royal Air Force heavy bomber when describing in a broadcast a recent raid in which he took part. The objective was a synthetic oil plant in the eastern Ruhr area, which was difficult to locate, and landmarks given for identification were a wood and a motor highway. “ Having arrived in the area,” said the pilot, “we were groping, as it were, for the actual target for some time. We knew we were near it, but our instructions were very definite that we must identify the target without doubt before bombing, so we dropped parachute flares, without success. “ Then, about a minute or two later while we were still searching, one of the other fellows from the squadron let off his flares about half a mile away. “This other bomber was then about 2000 ft. above us. His flares went off below us, lighting up a wide area. They enabled my navigator first of all to spot the wood, which was one of our chief landmarks. This led us on to our actual target, and then we began our attack.”