THREE AERODROMES BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 9

THREE AERODROMES BOMBED

Royal Air Force Raids In Norway and Denmark HEAVY DAMAGE TO NAZI BASES (UNITED TTIESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIGHT.) (Received April 22, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, April 22. Three aerodromes used by the Germans in their operations against Norway were successfully raided by the Royal Air Force on Saturday night; and again last night the Air Force raided two of these aerodromes. While units of the Bomber Command were bombing and machine-gunning the aerodrome at Aalborg, in Denmark, on Saturday night, others carried out fierce attacks on the aeroplane bases at Stavanger and Kristiansand, in German-occupied Norway. In the first raid at Aalborg, the Royal Air Force damaged a hangar, machine-gunned a transport aeroplane, and started fires. Strong forces of the Royal Air Force were used in the attacks on Krlstiansand and Stavanger, and aeroplanes and buildings were damaged. The attack on Aalborg was the first made against the Germans since their occupation of Denmark. It is understood that Germans had been conveying troops to Norway by air from Aalborg. Some estimates give the number landing daily in this manner as high as 2000. The Air Ministry stated that Strong forces of the Royal Air Force on Saturday night bombed aerodromes occupied by the Germans at Kristian sand and Stavanger. A number of enemy aeroplanes were seen dispersed on the aerodrome at Kristiansand and were' bombed. . Bombs were also dropped at Stavanger, a number of which were seen to hit the runways. The burst of another bomb was followed by an explosion on the aerodrome. Bombs were also dropped on a seaplane base nearby. ‘ It is now known that In the first attack on Aalborg bombs were dropped from a low altitude and a hangar was damaged. One of our machines, after dropping bombs, machine-gunned a German transport aeroplane which was about to land. Fires were started in the aerodrome by other aeroplanes which followed. In the second raid at Aalborg last night, extensive damage was done. Several fires caused by the first raid were still burning. One machine failed to return. In the eleventh raid oh Stavanger aerodrome, made last night; the Royal Air Force bombed and machine-gunned the aerodrome, and in spite of intense anti-aircraft fire, hits by incendiary and highexplosive bombs were observed, A number of enemy machines are known to have been destroyed. All the British aeroplanes returned safely...

Details are now available of the first raids by Royal Air Force aircraft against airfields in Denmark and Norway now in German hands, says a British. Official Wireless message. The attack on Aalborg appeared to take the enemy completely by surprise. The British aircraft appeared singly, and the first to reach the target found the aerodrome plainly marked with full night-flying illuminations. There was no time for the gun batteries to go into action, and the only opposition at first came from one searchlight, which was quickly put out when the aircraft’s rear gunner sent a burst down the beam. A large German troop air transport coming in to land with navigation lights on found itself suddenly assailed by machine-gun fire from the British bomber, and, opening up its engines, it escaped into the clouds. Flying at a low altitude above the aerodrome, the British bomber then released a' salvo of high-explosive bombs, which damaged the main hangar. The following aircraft hampered the ground defences. They were met, however, by heavy antiaircraft and machine-gun fire. Successive attacks were made on the aerodrome at varying heights, and after attacks on the target from a low level, three fires were seen to break out. A number of blue and yellow searchlights were seen over the aerodrome during the latter stages of the raid. The pilot of one aircraft in this raid said: “My aircraft was the first of the formation to reach the aerodrome, the navigation lights of which were on. There was also a flare path out. While looking for a suitable target, we flew practically alongside a German transport aircraft. It was signalling, presumably asking permission to land. “My rear gunner immediately gave him something else to think about and we managed to get in a good burst of fire before the German disappeared into the clouds. We were flying right at the base of the clouds at this time, so the pilot of the transport aeroplane only had to pull his stick back and up be went into the clouds. Hangars Bombed “That little jaunt over, we decided to go in and bomb. We could see three hangars in a half-moon shape. We made our run over some billets and the wireless mast. The rear and front gunp.ers were both strafing the

aerodrome as we flew over and dropped opr bombs. “It must have been a shock for them. They were obviously not expecting us, and-we met no opposition of any kind. Most of the ground lights went out after the first explosion arid a solitary searchlight came into action.” While the raid on Aalborg was in progress, other aircraft of -the Bomber Command were carrying out successful _ attacks on two German air bases in occupied Norway. The • aerodrome and seaplane base at Stavanger and the aerodrome at Kristiansand were heavily attacked with high-explosive and incendiary bombs, and considerable damage was done to the bases and to aircraft on the ground. The raid on Stavanger began shortly before midnight, and as on previous occasions, was carried out by a number of aircraft which attacked singly and in quick succession. ' Direct Hits Scored Numerous direct hits were scored and bombs were seen to burst on the point of intersection of two runways and elsewhere on the aerodrome. The fall of one, heavy bomb was followed within a few seconds by an explosion on the aerodrome. Bombs were also dropped on three enemy seaplanes which by the light of the moon were seen moored in a cove off the Stavanger seaplane base. In spite of anti-aircraft fire, which one pilot described as of moderate intensity, all the aircraft engaged in the raid returned safely to their bases. At Kristiansand, . a much-used enemy air base on the southern tip of Norway, some 40 to 50 aircraft were drawn up on two sides of the aerodrome, and one enemy machine was seen taking off along the runway as our aircraft approached. Large numbers of high-explosive bombs were dropped, principally along the line of the runway. A strong fire was started by incendiary bombs on the south side of the aerodrome close to where a number of aircraft were standing, and the raid was successfully rounded off fay two of our aircraft which carried out a low machine-gun attack on the aerodrome hangars and buildings. Anti-aircraft fire was encountered from light gun batteries sited round the aerodrome, and guns mounted on the hills surrounding the aerodrome also opened fire as our aircraft came in to deliver their attacks. Evasive action was successfully taken by our pilots, and the only damage suffered by our aircraft was the loss of one trailing aerial.