ANOTHER ATTACK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 227, 8 July 1941, Page 3

ANOTHER ATTACK

THE R.A.F. RAIDS BREST.

DAYLIGHT SWEEP OVER FRANCE. \

(United Press Association —Copyripht.i LONDON, July 7-

Royal Airj Force bombers last night heavily attacked targets in Germany and the docks and naval base at Brest. The main targets in Germany were Munster and Dortmund in the Ruhr. Six British bombers are missing from the night’s operations. The Germans admit the raid on Germany and speak of explosive and incendiary bombs being dropped. German-controlled steel and engineering works at Lille, which were attacked on Saturday, were again the main objective of heavy British bombers yesterday afternoon. While a strong escort of fighters drove off every enemy aircraft which attempted to interfere, sticks of very heavy bombs were dropped with great- accuracy on the main building of the works. At the end of the attack the whole building was enveloped in smoke. A railway yard in the same district received many direct hits, and a railway junction to the south of the yard, as well as a large building to the north-west, Avere bombed. One Messerschmitt got near the bombers and made an ineffective attack, but was driven off by the British fighters. It is significant that the Lille wireless station has not been heard since 3.30 yesterday afternoon. Eleven German fighters were shot down in this sweep for the loss of two British bombers and seven fighters. One of the fighter pilots is safe. Many of the British fighter pilots give great praise to the accuracy of the British bombing, describing it as marvellous. Of the 11 Messerschmitt fighters shot down, four British squadrons each shot down two, while the American Eagle Squadron also accounte for one. It was shot down by the squadron’s youngest member, who drew his first blood last week. He said the Messerschmitt went straight down, crashing near a wood. It was just as though it was a. 250 kilogram bomb hitting the ground, for it blew up in a flash. Two other pilots, of the Eagle Squadron claimed an opponent probably destroyed. A Norwegian pilot, who travelled round the world to join the Royal Air Force, claimed that a Messerschmitt had been badly hit.

Agency messages say that British bombers and fighters were seen flying over the Channel again to-day, but no details have been announced.

German Cities Ablaze. From Rotterdam to Magdeburg, 300 miles across the Continent to within about 70 miles of Berlin, aircraft of the Bomber Command left a trail of destruction with cities ablaze in'western Germany on Saturday night, states the Air Ministry News Service. They wrecked enemy supplies and communications at many vital points. Oil blazed fiercely at Rotterdam. Osnabruck and Bielofeld were deeply scarred by a concentrated attack on industries, power plants, and railways. Magdeburg and Rheine were pitted with fires and Munster was devastated by fire. Crews of the aircraft which went furthest into Germany were signposted on their return journey by huge beacons lit in half a dozen towns. Within a few minutes of the beginning of the attack on Munster, oil dumps were blazing and from the railway station and sheds smoke rose SOOO feet.

At Bielofeld an important power station was hit by many liigh-explosives. Five minutes after one attack, a gas works close beside the power station was seen to blow up and its buildings disintegrate. In the light of one fire a huge industrial building was seen to collapse. A very substantial load of bombs was dropped on Magdeburg. Four-engined bombers were among the large force which made this widespread attack on Germany’s war machine.

A South African pilot, who has shot down 35 machines, now holds the Royal Air Force record bag. He is Wing Commander A. C. Malan, who was a sailor before he joined the Royal Air Force five years ago. An Air Ministry communique stated that enemy shipping in harbours in south-west Norway was attacked by British aircraft. A salvo of bombs hit a factory at Kristiansand, and bombs fell at Haugesund among the quays and shipping.