FAST ATTACK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 247, 29 July 1943, Page 3

FAST ATTACK

ANOTHER RAID ON HAMBURG. HEAVIEST OF SIXTH IN 72 HOURS EXTENSIVE, IMPORTANT DAMAGE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, July 28. The day and night battle of Hamburg—a joint assault by forces of the Bomber Command and the American Bth Air Force. —continued last night. This, the sixth attack in 72 hours and the heaviest of all, was even faster than the 23C0-ton attack on Saturday, which lasted 50 minutes, states the Air Ministry News Service. Last night Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris planned to save five minutes, ancl a weight of bombs just over the record tonnage was dropped in 45 minutes. Every cut in the bombing period means greater destruction and greater safety for the aircraft. With the Germans reinforcing the defences of Hamburg as fast as possible —the- crews reported more searchlights and anti-aircraft fire last night than ever before and night fighters risking their own barrage to engage the bombers over the target—every minute counts, but every minute sav ed tests the organisation of the Bomber Command to the utmost. Nowadays, if a bomber is two or three minutes late on the take-off it must stay behind, so exactly planned is every at* tack. Hamburg was photographed at midday yesterday and fires were still burning in the docks. There was still light to guide the bombers again last night, but tho great pall of smoke that has hung over the city for several days was dispersed. New photographs clear of smoke amply confirm the great extent and importance of the industrial damage which had been detected with some difficulty in the earlier air photo, graphs. At least nine very important buildings in the great. Blolim and Voss submarine building yards were hit, one dry dock in the yard sunk and another heeled over. Hits on the Howaltswerlce submarine yards could also be seen. The aircraft crews are all convinced that the attack last night was even more destructive than that of three nights before. The targets at Hamburg cover a large area and require persistent attacks. At least one submarine a week is built in the three main yards and various subsidiaries. If the production of submarines at Hamburg could be stopped or delayed an effective blow would be struck in the Battle of the Atlantic. —British Official Wireless.