EXPLOSIONS IN ITALY'S ARMS WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1940, Page 9

EXPLOSIONS IN ITALY'S ARMS WORKS.

BRITISH RAIDS

'Planes Swoop Down Over

Swiss Alps

MANY TARGETS BOMBED. Hritish Official Wireless. (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, June 21. B.A.F. raids over Italy began within 24 hours of Italy's entry into the "war. The largest aircraft and acro-engine factories, the Ansaldo works at Genoa, and the Fiat factory, at Turin, were successfully bombed. In order to make this possible the towering barrier of the Alps had to be crossed. In the rarefied air at a hkfh altitude the crews were sustained by oxygen gas drawn from cylinders. Visibility was hampered by severe snowstorms, and ice forming on the wings and fuselages added to the difficulties and hazards of the flight, which was undertaken in the early hours of th : » morning.

Once they were clear of tho mountains the bombers, flying to Turin, began a gradual descent upon the objective. Judging by the little opposition encountered from anti-aircraft batteries they took the ground defences completely by surprise. The first bombers arrived over the city a few minutes after midnight, and for three hours Turin was subjected to repeated attacks as successive units of the raiding forces unloaded high explosive bombs.

The Fiat works, one of Italy's great l est production centres for lighter aircraft and aero engines, was clearly identified in the light of parachute flares released by the first aircraft as it circled the city. There was a* vast explosion and uprush of vivid sparks following tlie dropping of bombs. The blaze of light which accompanied the explosion was so dazzling that the bomber's crew, 5000 ft above, were blinded for several minutes.

The second attackers, arriving on the scene a quarter of an hour later, scored hits on the south end of the factory with eight of the heaviest bombs. Fires broke out. Hits on other parts of the extensive factory area were scored by following aircraft.

Successful attacks were also made on tho important railway junction' at the north of the city on the main line and on a nearby marshalling yard crowded with stationary goods wagons.

At Genoa bombs were dropped on the northern end of the Ansaldo followed by a series of heavy explosions, which broke out afresh after tlie aircraft had left the target.

In a second offensive tlie main objective was tlie extensive Breda Air France factory, at Sesto San Giovanni, 5$ miles north-east of Milan. In tlie course of a series of raids, lasting nearly an liour, incendiary and high explosive bombs were dropped. Fires were started in the factory and one large explosion was observed.

Another important objective attacked ■was the Caproni works at Turin. Although heavy clouds over Turin at times made observation difficult several b£ the attacking aircraft succeeded in locating the target and at least two salvoes of bombs were seen to hurst on it. Other targets attacked in the course of the night's operations over Italy were the naval shipbuilding yards at Sestri and Poneutc, and an iron and steel foundry at Genoa.