MANY TARGETS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 238, 16 July 1940, Page 5

MANY TARGETS

BRITISH RAIDS ON GERMANY.

TWENTY-TWO AERODROMES.

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE,

(United Press Association.—Copyrlgnt.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 15.

During two successive nights—Saturday and Sunday—22 Gorman aerodromes were bombed by the Royal Air Force. This was disclosed to-night in tho Air Ministry communique, which states: “Last night strong forces of Royal Air Force bombers again attacked various objectives in Germany, including the aircraft factory at Bremen, aircraft stores at Padorborn, east of Ruby, and Diepholz, north-east of Osnabruck; oil refineries at Hamburg and Bremen, and goods yards at Hamm and Soest. Fires and explosions resulted, considerable damage being done. Other forces of Royal Air Force bombers attacked a number of aerodromes in Holland and north-west Germany. Altogether, during the last two nights 22 enemy aerodromes have been bombed by the Royal Air Force. Aircraft of the Coastal Command last night attacked an oil storage depot at Ghent and set several tanks on fire. From all these operations two of our aircraft failed to return.”

These operations are described in the communique of the German. High Command to-day in the following sentence: “British aeroplanes during the night again released bombs aimlessly over northern and western Germany.’’ Targets chosen by the Royal Air Force for bombing last night were factories which build aircraft, oil refineries which supply them with fuel, and aerodromes from which they take off to raid Britain’s towns and shipping. At Padorborn, bombs were dropped on stores and assembly sheds which are nearby; the landing ground, which was pocked by craters, more sheds and equipment dumps were set on fire at Kcipholz, while at Ghent a factory was smashed. Six enemy fighters which attempted to intercept three bombers were quickly driven off. At Bremen, Monheim, Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen and Ghent oil tanks were hit and large fires started as the fuel spread over the yards. Pilots reported terrific explosions as one tank after another burst, and great beacons of flame lit the countryside. The 22 aerodromes and seaplane bases attacked during the last two nights were situated over the whole of north-west Germany and Holland. Anti-aircraft batteries have been' bombed in the face of terrific fire, searchlights machinegunned and put out of action, concrete runways hit and wrecked, hangars set on fire and planes destroyed on the ground, the success of the attacks contributing effectively to the reduction of the striking power of the German Air Force.—British Official Wireless.