R.A.F. OFFENSIVE CONTINUED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23131, 21 September 1940, Page 13

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE CONTINUED

Le Havre Heavily Bombed

BIG EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES

(t'KITEII ITIESS ASSOCIATION—COPVBI&HT.)

(Received September 20, 11 p.m.)

LONDON, September 20.

The Royal Air Force last night struck further devastating blows at the sprawling German war machine; repeating the previous night’s attacks on objectives in Germany and concentrations of men and material in the north of France.

The main attack last night, as on Wednesday night, was on Le Havre. Boulogne and Calais were also heavily bombed, and the long-range gun emplacements at Cape Gris Nez. On Wednesday night bomber squadrons of the Royal Air Force again attacked shipping concentrations, docks, and harbour installations from Flushing in the north, to Le Havre in the south-west. , , ~ Le Havre was singled out lor the night’s heaviest bombardment. Attacking in relays, a strong force of heavy bombers kept up an almost continuous assault upon the harbours, docks, and shipping for nearly five hours. Many tons of- high explosive bombs and great quantities of incendiary bombs were unloaded on the target in the face of fierce opposition from the ground defences. One of the earlier raiders attacked from a low level beneath a cloud. As its first stick of heavy bombs fell across the dock, there was a white flash and a terrific explosion which was followed immediately after by a second, smaller explosion which appeared to come either from a ship moored alongside the Basin de Maree or from a large warehouse on the quayside. Great Fire Raging A great fire which grew out of the second explosion quickly spread, and could be seen still blazing strongly by the bomber’s crew when they were 50 miles away on the return journey. When the following aircraft pressed hj me their attacks sticks of high explosive bombs were seen to burst along the quayside of the Basin de Maree and across the docks at the Quai de Saigon, and to straddle the Basin Ballot from the north-east to the south-west. Fire soon broke out-, and spread among the shipping massed in the Maree basin and in a dry dock near the Quai de Saigon. A stick of bombs was dropped across the dock from such a low level that the violence of the explosion shook the crew of the attacking air' 'aft. By 11 p.m. fires were raging in many parts of the harbour, a large ship alongside the quay was burning strongly and a 7000-ton ship about a mile north of Honfleur was seen to be ablaze, the flames lighting up the bank of low cloud which hung over the ] docks and town. i Relays of aircraft continued the! bombardment until the early hours of the morning. Again and again the docks and ships alongside were; straddled with sticks of high explosive ( bombs. While the main attack at Le Havre was in progress, other sections cf Wednesday night’s large raiding force were ranging the French. Did :h, and Belgian coast lines bombarding the invasion bases of Boulogne, Calais, Dieppe, Dunkirk, Zeebrugge, Ostend, Flushing, and Antwerp. At Boulogne low cloud hampered the attacks and several raiders cruised for over an hour near the targets awaiting a break in the clouds and a favourable opportunity to attack. Sticks of bombs were then dropped across the dock f. om the Loubet basin to the tidal harbour-. Damage at Dieppe An electric power Louse is believed to have been struck at Dieppe, where a violent explosion and bluish green flash followed the bursting of a salvo of bombs. During the raid on Ostend, one of the attacking aircraft, flying at 1500 feet, was turned over on it„ back by the blast of a great explosion which followed the bursting of a bomb. The docks at Flushing were subjected to 20 minutes’ intense bombardment. Many bursts were seen in the target area and on the dockside buildings and explosions broke out on the quaysides. Among several extensive fires started by the raiders, one could be seen for a quarter of an hour after leaving the docks. i Among other objectives attacked was a big railway yard at Brussels, where fires broke out and caused explosions which continued for 20 minutes. The long-range gun emplacements at Cape Gris Nez were again bombed and after a low-level attack by one bomber the crew observed quantities of material flung into the air a few minutes later. Several miles out to sea 1 the same crew saw the flash of a great exnlosion.

Seven Royal Air Force aircraft are missing.

KING AND QUEEN IN BOMBED AREAS UU'.ITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.RUGBY, September 19. The King and Queen once again spent the morning visiting areas, this time in the south-west and west of London, which suffered from bombs of the Nazi night raiders. Once again they were greeted by smiling faces and undaunted enthusiasm. .

The police made no attempt to keep the people away, and the King and Queen walked amid scenes of devastation with cheering men, women, and children close beside them.

Their Majesties’ tour included Chelsea and Fulham. They talked with air raid precautions workers and survivors of the bombings, while cheering'crowds surged round them.

The Duke of Kent had a narrow escape when a bomb exploded 80 yards away from his car while he was visiting damaged areas in the south-east. A shower of rubble fell on his car.

British-American Union. —Replying to a question in the House of Commons, the Lord Privy Seal (Mr Attlee) said that in the event of a proposal for an act of union between Great Britain and the United States, similar to that offered France, the House would have every opportunity to discuss the scheme. —London, September 19.