TERRIFIC EXPLOSIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21215, 11 September 1940, Page 7

TERRIFIC EXPLOSIONS

BOMBS ON BERLIN GASWORKS MUCH DAMAGE ON CONTINENT ROYAL AIR FORCE RAIDS (Official Wireless) ((Received Sept. 11, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 10 Our bombers last night continued their attacks on military objectives in Germany, and enemy-occupied Holland, Belgium and France, states an Air Ministry communique. Among the targets attacked were lighting installations at Berlin, shipyards at Bremen and Hamburg, docks at Kiel, Wilhelmshafen and Wiemar, goods yards at Krefeld and Brussels, factories at Essen and Barnstort, rail communications and several enemy aerodromes. Other bomber forces attacked shipping and barge concentrations in Ostend, Calais and Boulogne and gun emplacements at Cap Gris Nez. Three of our aircraft did not return. The night’s heaviest attack was directed against the naval dockyards at Hamburg, where tons of high explosives and many incendiary bombs ! were dropped in the course of half- : an-hour of almost continuous bomb--1 ardment.

The docks, which had been severely damaged in the previous night’s raid, were repeatedly straddled by sticks of heavy-calibre bombs. Fires broke out in the target area and were still visible long after the raiders left. At Bremen more great fires were started as repeated hits were registered on docks and shipbuilding yards. Direct hits were also scored on the naval station at Wilhelmshaven, where heavy bombs were clearly seen to burst on one end of the naval barracks. Another line of bombs which overshot the main dockyards burst across a mine-sweeper depot and straddled a pontoon harbour. Damage in Berlin The objective in Berlin was the important Newkoln gasworks, in the suburbs. Bombs were seen to burst on this target and heavy explosions occurred in the course of the attack, which began about midnight and was carried out in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. A later raid in the early hours of the morning on a goods yards at Brussels lasted over an hour. Bombs fell across the south end of the yard, causing an immediate outbreak of fire, followed ten minutes later by a terrific explosion. A few minutes later another direct hit was scored on the target, causing a second violent explosion and a fierce outbreak of fire, visible forty miles away, which was still burning strongly when the last raider left. Other night raiding forces attacked the docks at Wiemar, a blash furnace and railway sidings at Essen, and aerodromes at Diepholz, Hoya, Celle, Cuxhaven and Schipol. Railway Junctions Bombed Important railway junctions at Hanover, Celle, Barnstorf and Krefelcl were bombed. Two separate groups of fires at Celle caused a series of heavy explosions. Concentrations of shipping at Ostend were heavily attacked for the third successive night. Fires and explosions were seen in all parts of the harbour, and one raider which arrived soon after the commencement of the attack reported that the flames had been visible for many miles before the Belgian coast was reached. Other bomber forces raided Boulogne harbour, where several large explosions were seen in the dock area. At Calais barges in the harbour were bombed for over an hour by aircraft, which attacked in a series of steep and shallow dives. Damage In Berlin A message from Berlin states that bombs damaged a number of apartment houses in the northern districts. The raiders did not reach the centre of the city. British bomber? also attacked Westermuende, at the mouth of the River Weser. Anti-aircraft fire drove back some planes before they reached their objectives. Others were so dazzled by the searchlights that they dropped bombs in tlie open country. A party of 300 airmen, presumably recruits for training under the Empire scheme, has arrived at an eastern Canadian port from Britain.