BIG FIRES STARTED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21212, 7 September 1940, Page 10

BIG FIRES STARTED

IN ITALY AND GERMANY IMPORTANT WORKS HIT SUCCESSFUL RAIDS (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 7, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 6 British raiders attacked the Fiat aircraft factory and works. The buildings were caught by a salvo of bombs and were enveloped in the yellow flash of a huge explosion. Great volumes of thick smoke poured out and when the raiders returned to the scene twenty minutes later the crew found a fierce fire raging and only the walls of one building appeared to be left standing. Very heavy anti-aircraft fire, with little searchlight activity, was encountered by the raiding aircraft. In the opinions of the crews, all veterans of many raids over Germany, the accuracy of the Italian gunners was much below that of their German Allies. In Germany oil tanks and refineries at Politz, which were extensively damaged the previous night, came in for the heaviest attack for over an hour. This target was bombed by relays of aircraft, and at the height of the attack the fires started by incendiary and high explosive bombs were so extensive and were burning so fiercely that it was impossible for the raiding crews to see the flashes of their own bomb bursts. In south-east Germany another heavy bomber force successfully attacked an oil refinery at Regensburg, on the Danube.

The bombing was carried out in clear visibility and two of the raiders followed up the bombing by machinegunning attacks from a low altitude.