WARSHIPS BOMBED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 81, 5 April 1941, Page 9

WARSHIPS BOMBED.

British Pilot's Success In Attack On Continent. British Official Wireless. (Rood. 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, April 4. An Air Ministry communique states: "Despite bad weather last "ignt a strong force of the Bomber Command again attacked Brest, in winch the Scharuhorst and Gneisenau are sheltering. Much cloud haze over tnu target made observations of the results difficult, but many bombs were seen to fall across the dry dock, and ■several fires were started in the port. '•Small stale attacks were madu on oil storage tanks at Rotterdam and the docks at Osteud. From tliesu operations four of our planes arc missing." A night lighter K.A.F. pilot added to hi* siit-civee* last night by intercepting a Heinkel 111 over the sea off the southwest coa»t. He made contact with the German bomber and, though, travelling fast after being lightencd'of its bomb load, he got so close before he opened fire that, after only a few rounds from hie guns, he eaw it disintegrate. A number of pieces hit a Beaurtghter causing slight damage. A night tighter from another squadron visited a German -occupied aerodrome in Northern 1-ranee wiiile enemy bombers were coining in to land. The pilot dropped bombs on the hangar buildings, and dived and machinegunned landing lights and aircraft on the ground. The lights were promptly [>ut out. He attacked a bomber ae it was about to land and tsaw it crash on

landing. •'in the course of an offensive patrol carried out by K.A.F. lighters over Northern France and Belgium to-day," states an Air Ministry communique, "aerodrome buildings and landing grounds and grounded aircraft were machine-gunned. One of our plane* i* missing."' Slight Activity Over Britain. The communique states that activity by enemy aircraft over Britain to-day has been slight and mostly over coastal areae. No bomb* are reported to have been dropped on land, but this morning there was machine-gun tire in the northeast of Scotland and one place in the north-east'of England. One person was wounded and there was slight damages to houses. The Air Ministry announced earlier that enemy aircraft crossed the South Coast at various points last night. During an attack on a town in the Wast of England lasting about .four hours some damage occurred. A number of fires were started but so efficiently dealt with that none, became serious. Bombs were also dropped on places in Eastern England, the Home Counties and Southern England, but damage was, nowhere heavy and the number of casualties was small. Eight persons were killed and a number injured when a single raider bombed a village in the Home Counties last night. Bristol was the west country town raided laet night. 9 It is announced tliat the famous 8.8.C. organ, which is known to millions of listeners, was destroyed by bombs during a recent German night raid on London. The instrument was installed at St. George's Hall, the interior of which has been gutted.