BOMBING RAIDS ON GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23411, 19 August 1941, Page 7

BOMBING RAIDS ON GERMANY

“Deadly Thrusts At Military Power”

ASSISTANCE FOR RUSSIANS

(Received August 18, 11 p.m.)

(U.P.A.-8.0.W.) LONDON, Aug.TS; Bombers of the Royal Air Force again attacked targets in western and north-western Germany last night. Full details of the raids are not yet available. ■ ‘ Ah Air Ministry communique says that yesterday afternoon Coastal Command Beauforts, escorted by fighters, attacked an enemy tanker in the Channel. A hit was obtained on the stern with a torpedo. British fighters made many offensive sweeps over the Channel and northern France, during which they destroyed seven enemy fighters. Two British fighters and one bomber were lost, but three out of four of the bomber’s crew were saved. Fighters escorted'bombers to attack shipping off the French coast. “Flak” ships were hit and sweeps were carried out in which fighters machinegunned enemy aircraft on the ground. Two New Zealand pilots found an escort of 10 Messerschmitts protecting an enemy convoy. They attacked and saw their fire hitting the enemy aircraft. A Spitfire squadron then arrived and the Messerschmitts fled. Another squadron, which was ordered to attack a “flak” ship in a convoy escort, pressed home its attack low across the ship’s deck in the face of terrific fire. Another Spitfire squadron reported breaking up formations in combats which stretched from Cape Gris Nez to Boulogne. These pilots attacked 15 Messerschmitt 109’s and destroyed three without 16ss to themselves.

“Main Instrument of Victory”^

The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) on Saturday night met many pilots before and after they flew over Germany. He was accompanied by Lord Seely, Under-Secre-tary lor Air. Sir Archibald Sinclair first visited a Stirling squadron, where he met members of the crews and was shown over one of the great fourengined bombers. He told one crew that "deadly thrusts at the military power of Germany are being made by the Bomber Command, and' in making these thrusts you fellows in four-; engined bombers have a big part to plqy and you are playing it magnificently.” Later Sir Archibald Sinclair visited another aerodrome where the crews of Wellington' bombers were being briefed before taking off for Duisburg. He heard all the instructions being given the crews and then said: “It is the Bomber Command which is going to be the main - instrument of victory. It was the fighters who saved us from defeat last autumn. It is the bombers who are going to smash the war industries of Germany and break

the will to win of the German people. The work you are now doing and have been doing is of particular importance because it relieves the weight of the attack upon Russia. The Government, Parliament, and I am sure the people of this country want to, bring the greatest possible help t6 the Russians in their struggle. The pressure you exert on the economic life of Gfr> many, these attacks bn the Ruhr where you are going to-night and where the great war industries of Germany are still centred, .the pressure you exert on communications between the Ruhr and the east, your thrusts at the mill' tary power of Germany—all • will bring direct relief to the Russians in their battle in the east: ,

“If we go on hammering at the Germans in the west,-the time will undoubtedly come when the German people will insist that the High Command should bring back more aircraft from the eastern front to protect ihem and counter-attack us in Britain. That will relieve the weight Upon the hardpressed Russians. That is the importance of the task you have been , carrying out lately and will be carrying out to-night. I commend* you for the courage, skill, and determination you have shown in doing it. ,' ' “The work you have done and are doing will be an example and inspiration to the new crews now coming forward for the greater Bomber Command which will be operating in a few months. I thank you for what you have done and wish you good luck for the future and for to-night.” A Successful Night-

Sir Archibald Sinclair! returned td* a bomber station in the early hours of the morning to see crews of Wellington bombers on their return from Duisburg. A young officer who Is a rear gunner told him how he had shot down a German fighter into the sea off the Dutch coast. This'gunner has participated in 52 other bombing attacks and has shot down four German fighters and also got probables. Visibility was fairly good and with moonlight over the target, the squadron had a successful night. The crews reported fierce fires at Duisburg. One of them was a quarter of a mile long. There was great opposition from the ground defences, and many more searchlights than had been reported at Duisburg previously. Sir Archibald Sinclair waited until the commanding officer reported that all hfs aircraft were safely down and then in the dawn he flew back to London. .

Thirteen British machines were lost in Saturday night’s raids. Six of the 19 enemy fighters destroyed in Saturday’s daylight offensive were shot down in as many minutes by pilots of an Australian squadron. The only damage to their aircraft was a single bullet hole. . Two of the Huns were destroyed by a flight lieutenant who was in the leading squadron. They brought his score up to' three for the day. He had been with,bis squadron in the morning .and had got one then. A pilot officer and three sergeant pilots, all Australians, destroyed ’a Messerschmitt apiece, • The fight, which, began many thousands of feet high, ended at sea level, and the squadron returned home just above the wavetops. ' ■ Few enemy aircraft operated over Britain last night, but one was destroyed, states an Air Ministry communique, Activity was mainly confined to the coastal areas of eastern and south-west England. Bombs were dropped at several points and there was some damage. A small number of casualties were reported in one town ih m ath-east England. An Air Ministry communique states that single enemy aircraft dropped bombs yesterday afternoon at a point hear the south-east coast of Scotland, causing some damage. A very small number of casualties were caused by machine-gun fire from enemy aircraft