AIRCRAFT WORKS BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 9

AIRCRAFT WORKS BOMBED

North-West Germany Raided

FRENCH PILOTS

TAKE PART

(BBITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.)

(Received July 23,1.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, July 22,

Air Ministry bulletins elaborate the salient features of the operations carried out on Sunday night over northwest Germany, in which operations French airmen, according tQ a c°mmunique issued on Monday from the headquarters of General de Gaulle, to The P communique adds: ‘‘ln spite of violent opposition from the 8™?", ■defences, the objectives were attacked with success. All the French airmen returned safely.” . .. The principal targets during the night’s operations were two of Germany’s largest aeroplane factories, the Dornier works at Wismar Fiesler, and the air frame factory near Kassel, on which during an almost continuous bombing raid of one hour, more than 37 tons of high-explosive bombs and hundreds of smaller incendiary bombs were dropped. The sheds and buildings of the Dornier factory were repeatedly hit from a low level. Explosions were seen to break out within the target area, and of the many fires started one great blaze was visible from 50 miles away. , At Kassel, factory buildings were hit and fires were started. Great explosions, accompanied by a vivid white flash, broke out in a corner of the factory. , . , At Gottingen, high-explosive bombs hit factory buildings and burst on the adjoining aerodrome. Fires were seen to break out inside a large hangar. At Rotenburg the stores Centre was attacked. In 10 minutes’ intensive bombardment hits were scored on hangars and smoke from a line of fires rose to a Weight of 500 feet. .. Further damage to German aviation supplies were caused by raids against the stores at Gottingen and Rotenburg, also against the Focke-Wulf factory at Bremen. Members of the Royal Air Force located the Rotenburg stores with flares and intensively bombed the buildings for 10 minutes. Machineguns mounted on the roofs of the hangars fiercely opposed the raiders. A trail of blazing oil outlined the course of the Ghent-Selzaete canal after Blenheims had visited it and destroyed two big oil refineries along the canal bank near Ghent. Bright moonlight again helped the pilots to see their targets. The Bremen oil stores were again attacked, the wharves were hit and fires broke out on the dockside.

Bombers throughout the night kept up harassing attacks against aerodromes and seaplane bases in German occupied territories. In an attack on barge concentrations on the Weser canal hits were scored on the bank against which a number of barges were moored, the bomb bursts being followed by ipany green and blue explosions as if ammunition supplies had been struck. Bombs were dropped on the Lannion, Caen, Morlaix, and Quarqueville aerodromes in northern France, the Dutch aerodrome of Hamstede, and Rotterdam’s airport at Waalhaven. In Germany the Rheinburg aerodrome and the seaplane base at Fehmarn island were attacked. In a raid on the Lastrup air base four high-explosive bombs were dropped along a line of hangars, one of which was enveloped in a shower of flaming sparks.

RAIDERS OVER

BRITAIN

NO SERIOUS DAMAGE

DONE

(Received July. 23, 10.45 p.m.)

LONDON, July 22,

German attacks on this country were on a small scale to-day. One bomber was shot down over the south-east coast, and it is believed that six other machines were damaged by anti-air-craft fire. This brings the total of Germany’s week-end losses over England to 25, 21 being shot down on Saturday. German aeroplanes made a late night raid over the midlands and south-east England, where seven or eight heavy explosions were heard. Anti-aircraft guns went into action. The raiders also dropped highexploSive incendiary bombs in a number of districts in south-east Scotland, causing fires. They also bombed Wales without causing damage. One of the German machines shot down was found to be a Messerschmitt 110 converted for use as a bomber. Apparently the losses of German bombers are so heavy that with the converted machine it is hoped to drop light bombs and escape fast enough to avoid the British fighters. Designed as a long-distance fighter, the Messerschmitt 110 can be converted to carry a bomb load. , An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique says: “Enemy aeroplanes to-day bombed three towns in south-eastern and northwestern Scotland. No serious damage was done and there were few casualties. Incendiary bombs started a few fires, which were quickly extinguished. “Anti-aircraft defences put up a terrific barrage and drove off the raiders from the south-eastern area of England. Three incendiary bombs fell in the grounds of a hospital. “Hurricanes shot down a Dormer into the sea on the south coast early this morning. A torpedo-boat rescued a German airman who had climbed into a rubber boat. “In yesterday’s air battles round our coasts four enemy aircraft in all were destroyed. Two of our fighters were lost. It has now been established that an enemy aircraft struck a balloon cable and was destroyed in a recent night attack on Britain. Of the _2l German aeroplanes shot down during Saturday’s battles round Britain, 18 were brought down by fighters and three by anti-aircraft guns.” A German communique states: “German bombers again attacked British airfields, harbours,, oil storage depots, and factories, causing explosions and fierce fires. We sank a tanker and four merchantmen totalling 40.000 tons during a bombing attack against a convoy. British flights over north-western Germany last night caused only material damage. The enemy lost eight aeroplanes yesterday, including a Sunderland flying-boat shot down near Trondheim. Four of our aeroplanes have not returned.”