EXTENSIVE FIRES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21247, 18 October 1940, Page 5

EXTENSIVE FIRES

NAVAL BASES BOMBED DAMAGE AT KIEL BRITISH FLIERS’ SUCCESS (Omcial Wireless) (Received Oct. 18, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 17 An Air Ministry communique states: Despite the most unfavourable weather last night successful operations were carried out by bomber forces of the Royal Air Force against enemy naval bases and docks. A number of heavy bombs was dropped in the target areas at Kiel and extensive fires were caused. Hamburg, Bremen and Cuxhaven were also attacked, with good results. Another bomber force concentrated on a synthetic oil production plant at Leuna.

In addition munitions factories and power stations in Saxony were bombed and direct hits were made. Five of our aircraft have not returned from these operations. Kiel Bombed for Two Hours For the second night in succession the naval dockyard at Kiel was among the principal targets attacked Last night, states the Air Ministry news service. Once again the raiders pressed home the attack in the face of fierce opposition by batteries of heavy and light guns. At one time drifting cloud made the observation results extremely difficult, but in the course of a bombardment lasting over two hours many high explosives and incendiary bombs were seen to burst among the buildings at the Deutsche works and the Germania yards. A salvo of high explosives is believed to have scored a direct hit on one of the main jetties. The first raiders to tak off from their base in England reached the target area soon after 9 o’clock, and according to one pilot they were luckier than some of the others who followed, for on arrival they found a “ great horseshoe-shaped gap about five miles across in the cloud layer over Kiel.” Fifty-five miles south of Kiel other raiders were hammering the docks at Hamburg, but here again clouds hid the result of the bombing.

Prolonged Bombardment At the same, time other targets elsewhere in Germany were attacked. At Leuna a large synthetic oil plant which had been damaged in previous raids, was again subjected to a prolonged bombardment. With the first bombs dropped a large fire was started and served to guide following aircraft. From then on, at regular intervals heavy-calibre bombs were dropped with precision on the important objective, and a further fire broke out, followed by numerous explosions. Thick clouds of black smoke made evident the success of the bombing. Bombs Start Fires One pilot who made a high-level attack reported that bombs started two fires, both of which burned with a brilliant white flame. Then suddenly there were three or four big explosions. The last pilot to attack the oil plant saw bombs burst near a line of chimneys and a few minutes afterwards there was a gigantic explosion. Direct hits were also registered on a power station and factory near Leuna and two factories south-west of Leipzig. Attack On Brest A communique issued by the Air Ministry states that aircraft of the Coastal Command made a daylight attack today on the power station of the German-occupied naval base at Brest. A number of bombs were dropped and extensive damage was caused.

TORN BY DISSENSION PASSENGERS ON SHIPS FREE AND VICHY FRENCH TORRID FRENCH POLITICS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, Oct. 17 A passenger by a French steamer which has arrived at Sydney was Colonel Denis, the deposed Vichy Governor of New Caledonia. He was accompanied by his civil and military staff. There were also 170 civilian passengers. All on board the ship were torn by dissension. The supporters of Vichy have been transhipped to a vessel bound for French Indo-China. The members of the crew were divided on the question whether they would fight for Free France, under General de Gaulle, or follow Petain. According to stories told by passengers there was an atmosphere of torrid French politics during the trip. It was ascertained that the French sailors mostly were keen supporters of General de Gaulle. They objected to working with the Tonkinese stewards, who reiterated their allegiance to Vichy. It is understood that officers and men opposed to General de Gaulle will be allowed to return to France by a devious route, rendered necessary by the war.

GIBRALTAR RAIDED HEAVIEST FOR WEEKS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 17, 1.40 p.m.) MADRID, Oct. 16 According to reports from Algeciras high-flying planes raided Gibraltar at midday. The attack was the heaviest since the French raids in September.