FIRTH OF FORTH RAID

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 94, 18 October 1939, Page 9

FIRTH OF FORTH RAID

EYEWITNESSES' ACCOUNTS

LONDON, October 17,

Eyewitnesses describe the German attempt to "bomb the Forth , Bridge. The planes were driven off by heavy fire, but returned time and again. The bombs cause huge waterspouts, but did no damage.

A train passenger said: "At Dalmeny we were told that an, air raid was in progress. It was left to our discretion whether we continued the journey across the Forth Bridge*. Most of us decided to. continue. As the train travelled slowly across the bridge two planes appeared to dive over us, dropping bombs near the bridge. One of the German planes went down smoking into the sea. Fishermen went out in a small boat and rescued three of the four members of the crew before the plane sank. Spectators helped the Germans ashore. Two were seriously injured. One of the German pilots said: "We had no chance to get away from the British plane. It was much too fast for us.'"

The Edinburgh correspondent of "The Times" says that citizens showed interest, not; fear, when the bark of anti-aircraft guns and bursts of machine-gun fire broke into their afterluncheon meditations. They were at first puzzled over the silence of the sirens, but weite reassured to see the Royal Air Force fighters hotly pursuing the Germans.

' It was later explained that the sirens were not sounded because the city was not endangered, as the raiders were attacking; other targets.

Householders standing in groups were not excited when a plane bearing the swastika skimmed the rooftops.

Groups gathered on the housetops and watched the spectacle through binoculars and were delighted to, see the Germans out-manoeuvred at every turn.

A Berlin communique stated: "German bombers successfully attacked British warships in the Firth of Forth. Two British cruisers were hit. The attack was carried out in the face of heavy British anti-aircraft fire. Two British chaser planes were shot down and two German planes are missing."

By special arrangement Keuters worio service, in addition to othe» special sources of information, is used in the compilation of the overseas Intelligence published In this issue, and all rights therein in Australia and New Zealand are reserved.