HEAVY BOMBING BY R.A.F.

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23052, 21 June 1940, Page 9

HEAVY BOMBING BY R.A.F.

Oil Stores, Railways And Power Stations FIRES AT BREMEN AND HAMBURG (bbitish OFFICIAL 'WIRELESS.) (Received June 20, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, June 19. ' In the heavy bomber attacks by th# Royal Air Force on north-west Germany on Tuesday night, more than 250 tons of bombs were dropped, at Bremen within 10 minutes, causing heavy explosions among oil tanks and starting many fires. Hamburg was subjected to a series of raids which began shortly after midnight and lasted, until near dawn. Salvoes of bombs repeatedly straddled a large oil, depot near the docks and fires started by earlier attacks became so widespread that the blaze could be seen by our honieward-bound aircraft as they crossed the German coast 80 miles away,. At Castrop high-explosive bombs fell on a. petroleum refinery. Flames were immediately seen to break out, and after one raider had left the target his tail gunner, looking bade, saw a high explosion take place. Storage tanks at Misburg, close to Hanover, were also systematically bombed. A direct hit on a large building in the centre of the target, believed to be a power-house, resulted in an explosion that was felt by the crew of' the aircraft 10,000 feet above. Here, too, the fierce fixes which broke out could be seen by the raiding crews long after they had left the target area. Another power-house is believed to have been destroyed in an attack on oil tanks at Sterkrage, where the British bombers pressed home the attack in spite of intense anti-aircraft fire. Other sections of night raiders, with railway communications in the Rhineland and the Ruhr as their objectives, attacked marshalling yards, rail junctions, and supply trains. Direct hits were obtained on railway junctions at Gladbach, Wesel. and Arsbech. and fires were started in crowded marshalling yards at Schwerte. At Dusseldorf a series of attacks were launched against the principal railway yard. Twenty-one separate fires were counted within this yard by the rear gunner of the last aircraft to leave the scene. Two goods, trains standing in the marshalling yard at Soest were both hit with heavy-calibre bombs, and the yard itself was left enveloped in a pall of black smoke which numerous small explosions could be seen, A third train steaming out of the yard at Soest was heavily machinegunned from a low level. Another train, believed to have been loaded with munitions, was caught in a cutting near Cologne and struck by three heavy bombs. Explosions, accompanied by great clouds of smoke, at once ‘broke out among the waggons. A machine-gun mounted on the train opened fire on a British bomber which, promptly retaliated by coming low and machine-gunning the full length of the wreefced train. Other military objectives attacked during the night included a powerstation at SchiJau, in the environs ef Hamburg, where direct hits resulted in. vivid zig-zag Hashes which ht up the whole target area, and a large munitions works at Cologne which was set alight and left with flames blazing several hundred feet high. Coastal Command aircraft attacked an enemy seaplane base at Holder oa the Dutch coast this morning. Large fires were started among the buildings. Royal Air Force bombers also carried out a number of reconnaissances over northern France. Belgium, and Holland. Others attacked columns of motor transport approaching Cherbourg, These were thrown into disorder and many vehicles were de, stroyed. All our aircraft returned Fighter patrols over the Cherbourg area shot down one enemy bomber yesterday. Two of the Royal Air Foree aircraft failed to return, but the pilot of one was seen to make a parachute landing. R;A.F. CONTINUES OFFENSIVE (Received June 21. 12.30 a,ra.) LONDON, June 20. The Air Ministry announced that yesterday afternoon and last evening the Royal Air Force successfully bombed grounded enemy aeroplanes at aerodrome? near Amiens and Rouen, set fire to hangars, and also heavily attacked military objectives and communications in the Ruhr, Rhineland, and north-west Germany throughout last night. One British aeroplane was lost.. royal air force STRENGTH GREATER THAN WHEN ATTACK BEGAN LONDON, June 19. The heartening news that the i strength of the Royal Air Force is greater now than when the German offensive began is contained in a statement by the Minister for Aircraft Production (Lord Beaverbrook). •‘Aircraft production in this country in every category,” the Minister declared, “has. since May 10. exceeded the total casualty list, including casualties caused by accidents at home, Aircraft in use exceeded the number of machines at the disposal of the Air Force when the battle began. •Tn addition to production, repair? have replenished stocks, and there is now on hand a very good surplus ©I engines. The public can give thanks lor their immense effort to all aircraft factories and engine shops and to the workers who have been striving day and night, without time off for recreation. or time for the pleasures of life. •‘Their conduct has been beyond praise, We ean place our future in their keeping with confidence.” NEWS SERVICE FOR FRENCH RUGBY, Jum 19. Speaking in the British Broadcasting Corporation French news service, the French Ambassador (M- Charles Corbin) said so many French wireless stations had been taken over by the Germans that the British Broadcasting Corporation had taken Steps to broadcast six tiroes daily a news service prepared by French people for French people, . „ , . „ , _ “You will find m this service, he said, "from day to day. sure grounds for maintaining your faith >f m to# future of our mower country.