HAMBURG HEAVILY ATTACKED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23315, 29 April 1941, Page 10

HAMBURG HEAVILY ATTACKED

Mew Bombs Cause Much Damage NIGHT RAIDS BY R.A.F. (Received April 28, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. V mburg, the principal port of Gerir. ~y, was the chief objective of the Royal Air Force bombers on Saturday night. Tremendous damage was done by the new heavy bombs, according to pilots’ reports. One pilot who carried one of the heavy bombs said that when it fell the results looked like a volcanic eruption. A vast mass of material heaved into the air and then settled down in a seething mass of fire about a mile in diameter. Other pilots could see the explosions from 10 miles away, and huge clouds of black smoke could be seen everywhere. Emden, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, and Le Havre were also bombed. At Bremerhaven, also, tremendous devastation was caused by the new bombs. One pilot who dropped one of the largest bombs said that he saw buildings going up in the air, followed by huge glowing fires. Describing the raid, the Air Ministry reports that night fighters were up, again attempting to intercept the British bombers as they neared the enemy coast, but except one aircraft, a Messerschmitt 110, which followed one aircraft for half an hour and then broke off after a brief exchange of fire, there were no obstacles. The bombers arrived over Hamburg to find low drifting clouds between them and the ground, but every now and then there were clear patches through which to aim the bombs and to see the results. The pilots’ impressions of the effects of these powerful bombs were very similar. One pilot said: “A huge heaving mass like a volcanic eruption rose and settled down into a great red glow fully half a mile, in diameter.” The burst of this bomb was seen by the sergeant-pilot of another aircraft: “It was away on our port side,” he said. “We were 10 miles off, but even from that distance it was terrific.” One aircraft which attacked Bremerhaven dropped its load and the effect was very much the same as at Hamburg. “I had with me one of the powerful bombs,” said the pilot, “and after it had burst I could see a great circle of red, and on the rim—it was quite -a distance from the centre—l saw buildings going up in the ' air. Although I have been on 31 raids I have never seen anything before to match the effect of this bomb.” Enemy Shipping Attacked

An Air Ministry communique states that during daylight on Saturday the Bomber Command continued' operations against enemy shipping. Three supply ships were attacked off the coast of Norway, and at least one was sunk. A vessel of about 4000 tons in an escorted convoy off the Frisian Islands was bombed and damaged. Anti-aircraft ships off the Dutch coast were attacked with bombs and machine-gun fire. A successful surprise attack was made on one aerodrome near Sund, in Norway, on Saturday. Two aircraft on the ground - were destroyed by bombs, and others were machinegunned.

From all these day and night operations. five. British.aircraft are missing. The Coastal Command on Saturday night successfully bombed the docks at Le Havre and Ijmulden. No aircraft 1 are missing from these operations.

AIRMEN FROM CANADA

BIG CONTINGENT REACHES BRITAIN

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 27. What is described as the vlargest single contingent of Empire airmen to reach Britain has arrived at a British port. The contingent includes Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and British, all of whom have completed their training in Canada. There are also Americans among them who will mainly be employed in ferrying machines from factories to aerodromes. Most of these Americans, who are men from every walk of life, have had wide experience' in commercial .flying.