BERLIN BADLY BATTERED

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21370, 14 March 1941, Page 5

BERLIN BADLY BATTERED

HEAVIEST BLOWS YET STRUCK BREMEN, HAMBURG AND COLOGNE ATTACKED BRITAIN'S GROWING ASCENDANCY IN THE AIR DAVENTRY, March 14 The Royal Air Force has commenced a big air offensive on Germany. Units of the Bomber Command, escorted by night, when they rained bombs on Berlin, Hamburg, night, when they rained destruction on Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen and Cologne. It was the heaviest blow yet struck at Germany by the Royal Air Force and demonstrated Britain’s growing ascendancy in the air. The first flight of planes arrived at Berlin at 11.30 p.m. They met a terrific barrage from the city’s anti-aircraft guns, but were able to drop their bombs on their targets in the centre of the city. As the British aircraft roared away immense fires were blazing in different parts of the metropolis. A great war supply factory was systematically bombed in Bremen. One stick of bombs landed right in the centre of the works, causing a spectacular explosion and then immense sheets of coloured flames as various inflammable materials caught alight. Hamburg was bombed for seven hours, while the R.A.F. also struck terrific blows at Cologne. A squadron of bombers, escorted by fighters, made a daylight raid, just after mid-day on an enemy occupied aerodrome in Calais.