ATTACKS BY R.A.F.

DAMAGE TO THE ENEMY

WORK OF BOMBERS

"COBBER" KAIN CHIEF ACE

(Official Wireless and U.P.A.) (Received May 28, noon.)

LONDON, May 27

The Air Ministry announces: "Last night bomber aircraft of the R.A.F. attacked aerodromes in the hands of the enemy, including those of Flushing, Brussels, and Antwerp. Operations were also continued against the enemy's lines of communication in Belgium and Western Germany. Hits were made on railway junctions, sidings, convoys, and armoured vehicles. An anti-aircraft battery was put out of action. "Later in the evening much damage was done by medium bombers to a concentration of enemy mechanised vehicles near -Boulogne. Today's bombing operations have been carried out against various objectives in Flanders. So far all aircraft have returned safely. Preliminary reports show that 28 enemy aircraft have been destroyed or seriously damaged by our fighters today. One patrol of Defiants shot down five enemy bombers. Five of our fighters are reported missing." Squadrons from the Bomber Command heavily bombed enemy air bases in Belgium and Holland and disorganised road, rail, and river traffic over a wide area from the Rhineland to the French frontier. The raids on aero-, dromes began shortly after midnight, when almost simultaneous attacks were launched at Flushing, Brussels, Antwerp, Venlo, and Charleroi. Salvos' of heavy bombs at Flushing and Antwerp started several fires. Nearly 150 high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped on aerodromes at Brussels and Charleroi. Buildings at Venlo were wrecked by direct hits and fires were started. A railway bridge across a Belgian j main road was destroyed. The R.A.F. in France pounded away day and night on German reinforcements heading for th'-i Amiens gap to support the German bid for the Channel ports. Three R.A.F. pilots have shot down nearly 100 machines between them. The chief ace is a New Zealander, believed to be "Cobber" Kain. His bag exceeds 40. Paris reports that four French squadrons comprising 36 planes have brought down 124 German machines since the outbreak of the present offensive. One captain has shot down 12 enemy planes in the past fortnight. A German communique states that Allied planes again carried out indiscriminate bombing of Western Germany, and that no damage was done.