1000 Massed R.A.F. Attacks

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 176, 26 July 1940, Page 8

1000 Massed R.A.F. Attacks

Tfca R.A.F. bombed Germany and Gsrman-oecupied territories over 1000 timea in the last three-months. These were not isolated raids, but large-so&Ie operations carried out day and night. Of the total, 517 thrusts directed ait main military and industrial centres were made in a month. Attacks on air bases in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany made it extremely difficult for Germany to organise massed attacks on Britain. Tremendous havoc has been created to oil refineries, munition works, dock yards, aeroplane factories and power plants. Some were rendered practically useless. Sixty-six raids have been made on the German Navy since the outbreak. A British official wireless message gives the following Air Ministry communique:—"Heavy rain, thunderstorms and severe icing conditions hampered our bomber operations last night. "In spite of this docks at Emden, WiMielmshaven and Hamburg and aircraft factories at Wismar and Wenzedorf and seaplane bases at Borkum and Texel were attacked. All. our aircraft returned safely." Reports from pilots taking part in the raid show that some of the worst

weather in summer was overcome. One bomber was hit by a flash of lightning, which momentarily blinded both the pilot and navigator, while the aircraft itself was shot up eome 600 feet. The wireless set of another bomber was made red hot by lightning, and other instruments made temporarily unserviceable. The compass started to swirl and took 40 minutes to settle down again.

[ A Berlin communique states: "One of our speedboats sank an 18,000-ton armed merchantman off Portland. German fighters attacked shipping on the English east coast and also industrial plants in south-east England and Scotland. Three merchantmen received direct hits and were probably lost. Our 'planes attacked a Vickers aircraft factory at Weybridge, destroying four grounded 'planes, and also bombed industrial plants at Great Yarmouth and Glasgow. "Violent dogfights occurred during the attack on a convoy, resulting in six enemy 'planes being shot down. Enemy machines penetrated north Germany last night. The enemy yesterday lost 10 'planes. Six of ours are missing."