MAIN ATTACK BY THE R.A.F.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 38, 25 November 1940, Page 5

MAIN ATTACK BY THE R.A.F.

BOTH ENDS OF THE AXIS,

SOME BIG EXPLOSIONS

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) LONDON, .November 24.

The Royal Air Force’s main attack last night was on both ends of the Axis, reaching Berlin early in the evening and Turin an hour before midnight, says the Air Ministry news service. Jn Berlin the Pullitzetrasse and Lehrter railway goods yards were bombed shortly before 8 p.m. Ten very large fires were started. One burnt so fiercely that though our aircraft were flying high they were lit up by the flames.

About the same time 1000 incendiaries were dropped in the yards between the Potsdamer and Anhalter railway stations. These started fires, and after high-explosives had been seen to burst there were several further explosions. One pilof observed a direct hit on the Potsdamer railway station'. He saw his bombs burst and cause fires, which in turn resulted in three explosions, intense darkness,

Raids were equally early at Essen and the crews of the aircraft reported intense darkness, but they cruised over the target till they identified them beyond doubt. Fierce fires which broke out soon glowed up through the dark as they gained hold and were still showing 20 miles away.

One pilot reported a particularly large fire and two smaller ones in approximately the centre of the great arsenal and another aircraft caused an explosion which actually lasted 10 seconds.

At Turin, The Royal arsenal and Fiat works were raided. Incendiaries from the first aircraft to arrive lit up the target for their successors and one pilot described how his bombs burst right in the middle of the flames, producing a series of smaller explosions. When he had turned for a second crossing of the Alps the fires could be seen burning many miles behind him.