German City Now Charred Ruins

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 7

German City Now Charred Ruins

INTENSE R.A.F. RAIDS

Awful Havoc By 40001b. Bombs From Flying Fortresses

(U.P.A. and British Official Wireless— Rec. 1 p.m.)

LONDON. July 18

According to a message from Ankara, diplomats from Germany say the intensity ot the recent British raids surpasses anything the Lultwafte has attempted Britain.

Dusseldorf, on which men of the R.A.F., from American Flying Fortresses, dropped American 40001b and 1 0001b calibre bombs, is now practically charred ruins. Bremen's harbour installations have been blasted until they are useless. Hanover has had the heaviest bombing of any military objectives since the outbreak of the war.

Germans are dredging and dynamiting Kiel Canal seVeral times a week to remove the wreckage of the shipping sunk by bombs. Railway communications in western Germany have been extensively and seriously damaged, resulting in a shortage of food and other commodities in many places.

The thousandth bomber to be made for Britain at the Lockheed aeroplane factory in California was being completed there on Thursday, while in another part of the plant the British Ambassador, Lord Halifax, was thanking the workers for the help given to Britain.

The Air Ministry communique says industrial areas at Cologne and elsewhere on the Rhineland were attacked last night. Fires were started, and though the weather made it difficult to observe results, many bombs were seen to hit the targets. The Coastal Command attacked shipping at St. Nazaire and a ship of about 4000 tons was seen to be hit

During offensive patrols by the Fighter Command attacks were made on enemy aerodromes in occupied territory. One aircraft of the Coastal Command is missing.