FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS CAUSED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21207, 2 September 1940, Page 7

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS CAUSED

GREAT DAMAGE INFLICTED BY BRITISH AIRMEN PLANES IN WAVES INTENSE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, September 1 It is officially announced that a strong force of British bombers on Friday night again attacked military objectives in the Berlin area. Fires and explosions resulted and it is estimated that considerable damage was done. Fifteen tons of high explosive bombs and over 750 incendiary bombs were dropped by one section of the raiders. Other reports say that fires were started half a mile southward of the Unter Den Linden, the “Piccadilly” of Berlin.

According to an American correspondent the British raiders came over in waves. There was a terrific anti-air-craft barrage, shell splinters raining over the city. The alarm was sounded at 1.39 a.m. and ended at 3.16 a.m. Anti-aircraft batteries went into action before the sirens were sounded. Communications with the outside world were cut off while the raid lasted.

Kurt Daluege, Prussian Minister for the Interior, accompanied journalists on a short tour of Berlin after the raid. He said the British attack had been the most intense since the outbreak of war. Raiders had in half the time dropped more bombs and caused more damage than on the raid in the early morning of Thursday last.

Pilots’ Thrilling Stories

Thrilling stories of the raid on Berlin were told by the pilots and crews when they returned. The pilot of one squadron had picked out the Unter Den Linden, and. flying high above it, used it as a pointer to reach his target. The Germans put up a heavy barrage of fire along the raiders’ route. Seme of the bombers over Berlin came down through a natch of cloud in the face of intense fire to make their attacks. This squadron had attacked a large works in the northwest of the city. A Canadian pilotofficer said he did not see how it was possible to miss the target, which was so large and well lit up from the reflection of the searchlights on the clouds. A squadron-leader who flew up the Unter Den Linden said: “ There were about five flares which some othe.t fellow had dropped, and we could see a great deal of the city. It was almost as bright as day. “We ran alcng one side lof *tbe Unter Den Linden, dropped on to the target, identified that, and dropped our bombs. We did not see them burst. We were much too busy dodging, turning and twisting as fast as we could, doing pretty well vertical turns at times. Audacity of Bombers “ Once we overdid it a bit and went over a bit too far. Then I could not get back quickly enough. We lost 2000 feet that time, which completely fogged them. At any rate, we were left in peace for three or four minutes afterwards.” Typifying the audacity with which the bombers carried out the raid, two pilots, flying in different aeroplanes, carried on a radio telephone conversation for several minutes over Berlin. They chatted about their positions and had a private race to reach their objectives. Some of the pilots descended to less than 3000 feet before bombing. The German Version A German communique states: “British aeroplanes on Friday night continued their attacks on Berlin and other targets in the Reich. A number of bombs fell in the centre of Berlin and also in a working-class residential district. The damage was insignificant everywhere. There were no fatalities, but some people were injured.” It is admitted that the raiders “slightly damaged” an electrical appliance factory. A British Air Ministry bulletin states that the Berlin anti-aircraft fire was intense and accurate. Some of the British bombers were holed through the wings. One made a forced landing when near the English coast. Three members of its crew baled out, but the other two succeeded in bringing the bomber close to the beach, with apparently very slight damage. Two of the three who parachuted were rescued. A search continues for the third, who may have reached land.