R.A.F. OFFENSIVE CONTINUED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23361, 21 June 1941, Page 9

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE CONTINUED

Raids on Cologne And Dusseldorf

HITS SCORED AT LE HAVRE

(Received June 20, 11 p.m.) (U,P.A.) LONDON, June 20. The big Royal Air Force offensive against Germany and the occupied territories continues without a break. Last night the attack was switched back to the “bottle-neck" of the Nazi arms and munitions industry in western Germany. , The big industrial centres of Cologne and Dusseldorf were heavily attacked. Two British aircraft are missing. Yesterday strong forces of bombers, escorted by fighters, crossed the Channel. Le Havre was bombed, and hits were scored on wharves and oil storage. A hit was also scored on an enemy supply ship, which was escorted by destroyers. There was very little enemy air opposition during these daylight operations. One enemy machine was shot down.

“Red Star,” the official organ of the Soviet Army, says that in a recent raid by British aircraft on Hamburg five German submarines were sunk and a shipyard at the port, was demolished. The raids on the Ruhr district during the last six nights have considerably reduced the production of the Krupp works.

Attack on Bremen On Wednesday night the Royal Air Force carried out heavy raids on ports and naval and military bases in Germany and the occupied territory. Machines of the Bomber Command, for the eighth night in succession, were over north-western Germany, where ports and naval bases were raided.

A particularly heavy attack was made against Bremen. The docks at Brest, where three German warships are sheltering, were also bombed. From these operations on Wednesday night four British aircraft are missing. Bombers attacking Bremen had to contend with difficult weather, but they all got through. Attempts to drive them off were made by German fighters, but the enemy was successfully engaged by the gunners of the bombers and one of them was shot down.

, It is now reported that in Tuesday’s encounter between British and German fighters over the Channel, the Germans lost 16'Messerschmitts, while the British losses were 10.

The lull in enemy air activity over Britain continues, and last night activity was on the whole very light, Bombs at one point caused damage and a small number of casualties. The first Canadian bomber squadron has been formed in England. It is commanded by a, wing-commander from Saskatchewan, who holds the D.F.C. and who joined the Royal Air Force six years ago.

ITALY’S REACTION TO WAR

“SICK OF THE WHOLE

MESS ”

STATEMENT BY U.S.

MINISTER. LONDON. June 19. The United States Secretary of Agriculture (Mr Claude R. Wickard) said that he had learned from a reliable source that the people of Italy were “sick of the whole mess, and want peace.” While they had Signor Mussolini servile to Germany they would not get

MR CLAUDE WICKARD

peace, he said. Germany was robbing the occupied countries, and France was in a terrible condition. Belgium was worse off. . Herr Hitler was taking valuable food and oil in an effort to build up Germany’s supplies, but so long as the British blockade was effective Germany would be in a bad way. The position there now ,was better than in the last war, but it was still not good. . 9 •