ROTTERDAM TARGETS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 205, 30 August 1941, Page 7

ROTTERDAM TARGETS

y Bombers Sweep In From 50 Feet In Spite Of Heavy Barrage

(British Official Wireless.—Rec. 1 p.m.) RUGBY, August 29. With a fighter escort, but against a deadly barrage from the port and from small warships at the mouth of the river Blenheims which made yesterday's daylight attack on Rotterdam flew over the docks at between 50ft and 20ft, states the Air Ministry News Service. They were met by a hail of light antiaircraft shells and machine-gun bullets—there was even rifle fire from the ground—and some Messerschmitts braved the escort of Spitfires to pursue the bombers. One Messerschmitt IO9F engaged a Blenheim from dead astern and closed to 150 yards, but the Messerschmitt was in turn pursued by Spitfires and had to make a hasty escape. The Blenheims attacked in line abreast. The pilot of the leading bomber describes how he glanced along the line and saw the attack begin at full strength. Two Blenheims made for a large ship at the south-west end of Maashaven. The first got a hit on the stern, and when the second had attacked its crew saw the ship entirely obscured by bursts of bombs. Another Blenheim hit a large ship amidships. A fire broke out, and the smoke which poured up was reddened by flames. Many other ships were attacked, both in the docks and in the slipways, where they were being built. Tall columns of smoke rose from the shipyards, and bombs also burst among the cranes, wharf machinery and sheds on the quaysides. Warehouses burst into flames and the fires quickly spread. Some of the Blenheims were hit even before they reached the docks, but they dodged their way through the anti-aircraft fire and sent their bombs down. Aircraft which have not returned were seen to make successful attacks, though because of the nature of the assault with the bombers flying low and dropping their bombs to explode some seconds after the impact more damage was certainly done than could be seen One Blenheim was hit by anti-aircraft fire in one of its engines and fell behind the formation. The pilot of another Blenheim saw this and kept company with the damaged bomber. Two Spitfires then joined up to make all safe.

. Photographs taken at the time of the attack show how low the Blenheims swooped over Rotterdam. They are proof of the courage with which the British crews drove home the dangerous assault, against all the defences which the enemy could muster.