DEVASTATION IN BERLIN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21245, 16 October 1940, Page 7

DEVASTATION IN BERLIN

ROYAL AIR FORCE RAIDS IMPORTANT MILITARY OBJECTIVES ATTACKED EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES IN GERMAN CAPITAL (Official Wireless) (Received October 16, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 15 For nearly an hour and a quarter last night British raiders flew over Berlin, seeking out and attacking a number of military objectives, both in the suburbs and the heart of the capital. An Air Ministry bulletin states that a slight haze lay over the city when, shortly after 2 a.m., the first raiders penetrated the outer ring of Berlin’s powerful defences and circled high over the capital. A hunter’s moon, which helped the raiders on their 600-mile flight from England, lit up the sprawling city. A large gasworks in the Danzigerstrasse, 2§ miles from the city s centre, was quickly located, and a well-aimed stick of heavy-calibre bombs started several fires, which soon gained intensity. A few minutes later the Templehof railway yards, close to Berlin’s main airport, had been identified and bombed by a second raider. The crew of this aircraft reported that after their own attack they saw a great fire raging four or five miles to the north, in the approximate positions of the Danzigerstrasse gasworks. Other raiders concentrated their attack on military objectives in the centre of the city. Several tons of heavycalibre high explosives and quantities of small fire-bombs were unloaded on the targets, and at one stage of the raid other explosions and fires could be seen simultaneously in several parts of the target area. A direct hit with a heavy bomb was also scored on a railway siding near Lehrte station, about a mile from Brandenburger.

DAMAGE ON CONTINENT MILITARY OBJECTIVES HIT BOMBING OF BERLIN ATTACKS ON OIL PLANTS (Official Wireless) (Received Oct. 16, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 15 An Air Ministry communique states: Last night our bombers again struck at Berlin and other targets in Germany and occupied territory. Several important military objectives in Berlin were effectively bombed. Attacks were also made on oil plants at Stettin, Madgeburg and Meishburg. The attack on Stettin was particularly effective. A strong force of bombers attacked Le Havre, where from fires and explosions which resulted it is estimated that considerable damage was done. Other aircraft, which owing to adverse weather were unable to locate their primary targets, bombed the docks at Hamburg, Emden and Den Helder and railway communications at Gottingen, Lingen and Hanover, besides several factories and aerodromes. From these extensive operations and from patrols undertaken in daylight yesterday by the Coastal Command, four of our aircraft have not reported to the base. CLAIMS BY ENEMY BRITISH SHIPS DESTROYED CRUISER TORPEDOED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 16. 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 15 A German Icommunique states: A U-boat sank the merchantman Devonshire. Torpedo-boat units attacked the English Channel coast some days ago and destroyed two submarine chasers and two small merchantmen and took forty Britons prisoner. An Italian communique states: A torpedo-carrying plane in the Mediterranean torpedoed a British cruiser and scored a direct hit on a transport. The British again bombed Benghazi, hitting houses near the centre of the city. There was no damage to military objectives. There were other British raids on Bardia and Solium. One person was wounded. There was no notable damage. The British bombed Decamere, with slight damage. UNITED STATES FLEET MANOEUVRES IN PACIFIC united Press Asn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON, Oct. 15 Following the announcement of further precautions which are being taken by America, it is announced that the United States Fleet will continue its Pacific manoeuvres. Thirty warships are due to leave Hawaii today. These include three battleships, one of which is the Colorado, the aircraft-carrier Yorktown and several cruisers and destroyers. A Japanese warship named the Kashii has been launched. Its category is not disclosed.

SERIES OF RAIDS FIGHTING IN AFRICA SUCCESSFUL BRITISH FLIERS SEVERAL SHIPS DAMAGEp (United Prese Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 16, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 15 The A.ir Ministry news service has made public details of a series of raids carried out on October 13 and 14 on Benghazi by bombing aircraft of the Royal Air Force. During the first raid the main railway sidings were attacked with great success. One ship moored at the mole I d’ltalia received a direct hit. During another raid the jetty wharves were the main objectives. Bombs fell among buildings on the quay and started fires. Direct hits were also registered on the main moi \ A number of bombs (ell on the barracks. The largest ship in the harbour was bombed and hit. A very large fire started near a seaplane hangar, and direct hits were also registered by the last raiders on buildings along the waterfront and direct hits were scored on a medium-sized ship. All the Royal Air Force aircraft returned from this highly successful operation without loss. Bardia and an encampment at Buq Buq were raided on the evening of October 13, all the bombs falling in the target area but it was not possible to ascertain the full extent of the damage. Damage in Eritrea In Eritrea military objectives at Gura were again subjected to an intense air attack. A direct hit on a large building started a series of explosions. Three hangars were bombed with success. A subsequent low-level dive attack resulted in six small and two large buildings being completely burnt out. Fires were also started on the south side of the main road. COMPLETE UNION BRITAIN AND AMERICA NEEDED TO SAVE WORLD LABOUR POLITICIAN’S VIEWS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlftit) (Received October 16, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, October 15 In an article in the Daily Express Colonel J. C. Wedgwood, Labour M.P. for Newcastle-Under-Tyne, recommends not only British-United States alliance, but a complete union, with one sovereign parliament, also a common foreign office, colonial office, defence service, supreme Court, and free trade and stable currency. Colonel Wedgwood says: “An alliance is not enough. One union government can alone give security in the long struggle before us. No State, not even Britain, can hope to recover alone. Left alone, all seems certain to sink into barbarism and anarchy. “Many here are prejudiced against Americans, and many more sub-con-sciously sympathise with the totalilarians. The working class realises, as others must, that as the war goes on all will become poorer, and increasingly will need a great and powerful State to feed, save and restore them.”