FACTORIES BOMBED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21204, 29 August 1940, Page 7

FACTORIES BOMBED

ITALY AND GERMANY RAIDED JOURNEY OVER ALPS ROYAL AIR FORCE ACTIVITY (Official Wireless) (Received August 29, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, August 28 Further details of the raid by Royal Air Force heavy bombers over Italy, in which the machines again made a double journey of 1600 miles across France and the Alps, show that, as on former occasions, adverse weather conditions were overcome by most of the attacking aircraft. The extremely low temperature caused ice to form on the wings of the aircraft and one bomber became so loaded down with this extra weight that it was forced to turn for home without completing its task. Over Sesto San Giovanni cloud and ground haze added to the difficulties of the night’s flight, but in spite of this the magneto factory was located and attacked. Hits with high explosive and incendiary bombs were obtained on the works, but scudding cloud hid the full result of the attack. One pilot detailed to bomb the Fiat works at Turin was more fortunate, for on his arrival one minute after midnight a small fire in one of the main buildings enabled him to identify the works. Two salvoes of high explosives were dropped and were seen to strike the main works. Incendiary Bombs Scattered Later over 50 incendiary bombs were scattered over the target area and within a short time a large fire was observed. Half-an-hour later the fire was still burning fiercely and was plainly visible from a height of over 1500 feet. An Air Ministry communique stated: Last night Royal Air Force bombers attacked military objectives in Germany, Italy and enemy-occu-pied France. In Germany the targets included the docks at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, a transformer station at Kelsterback’, near Frankfurt, a Messerschmitt factory at Augsburg, oil tanks and supply depots at Mannheim and several aerodromes. In Italy the Fiat works at Turin and the Marelli magneto factory at Sesto San Giovanni were again attacked. In enemy-occupied France oil tanks in the Gironde Estuary, near Bordeaux, at Pavillac, near Brest, and at Cherbourg were bombed. One of our planes is missing.