HEAVY RAID ON ESSEN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23914, 5 April 1943, Page 5

HEAVY RAID ON ESSEN

Attacks On U-Boat Bases BOMBER COMMAND; IN ACTION (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. H p.m.) LONDON, April 4. A heavy and concentrated attack wag made on Essen last night by aircraft of Bomber Command. No details of the raid have been received, but good results were seen. Twenty-one bombers are missing. The main street of a south-east coast town, which the German Official News Agency says was Eastbourne, was thronged with shoppers gossiping in groups when suddenly from the blue sky seven or eight Focke Wulf 100’s swooped in and changed the scene to one of scurrying confusion as bombs crashed down and cannon shells whistled among the crowds. The raiders directly hit a surface shelter in which the occupants, believed to number 12, were killed. Forty persons in an underground shelter were not hurt when the building above the shelter collapsed. A church, chapel, vicarage, and a bid unoccupied hotel were hit. Anti-air-craft batteries claim to have hit ft number of the raiders. The German Official News Agency says that fast German bombers yesterday made a low level attack on Eastbourne. The bombers surprised the defences and bombed barracks and food depots. No British fighters were encountered. An official stated yesterday morning that enemy aircraft dropped bombs at a place on the south-east coast of England: These caused damage and casualties, some of which were fatal. Fighter Bomber Attacks During an attack by fighter bombers of Fighter Command on the airfield at Abbeville yesterday, a supporting Canadian Spitfire wing led by an English wing commander destroyed five Focke Wulf ISO’s and damaged others for the loss of one Spitfire, states the Air Ministry News Service. All the fighter bombers returned safely. The squadron leader who led the fighter bombers said: “We bombed the airfield and scored hits all over it. Judging by the bomb bursts it was a very successful attack. I got a imhll bit of flak in the tail of my aircraft, but that was almost the only damage the ground forces were able to inflict. After the attack one of our chaps shot up the aerodrome with cannon." The Air Ministry News Service adds that without loss to themselves or to the bombers they had as their charges, Spitfires of Fighter Command also escorted Venturas of Bomber Command to attack the docks at Brest at daylight yesterday. No enemy fighters were encountered. The Air Ministry states that on Friday night aircraft of Boihber Command attacked the submarine bases at Lorient and St. Nazaire. Mines were also laid in enemy waters. Two bombers are missing. There was favourable weather for the bombing of Lorient on Friday might, states the Air Ministry News Service. The Germans still base more submarines ‘ there, in bombproof pens under some 15ft of concrete, than in any other Atlantic port.. Only small fires were seen lost night, but many high explosive bombs were dropped and must have caused still more disorganisation and made life even more uncomfortable for the submarine crews ashore, and Germans who have to work maintaining and repairing the U-boats. The defences were active, particularly light antiaircraft guns. St. Nazaire, which was also bombed on Friday night, is the most Important of, the U-boat 'bases in the Bay of Biscay. It has not yet been so devastated as Lorient. In spite of some ground haze large fires and major explosions, too large for bomb bursts, were seen by several crews. ,_. Damage In Berlin • Advices reaching Stockholm state thatUHler’s Chancellery was seriously damaged during the Royal Air Force raid on Berlin on February 27. In spite of determined efforts by the German authorities to conceal information, details of the tremendous damage done in the last two Royal Air Force raids on Berlin continue to reach London via neutral sources. One report states that at least 2000 were killed in last Saturday night’s raid on the German capital and many more must still be buried under the acres of wreckage. It is also stated that more than 4000 anti-aircraft guns have been rushed to Berlin in anticipation of renewed Royal Air Force attacks. It is persistently reported in Sweden that the Templehof aerodrome has been badly damaged. Goering has decreed compulsory air raid precaution duty.for every ablebodied man and woman throughout Germany. The Berlin radio stated that wardens, during raids, are authorised to utilise the services of bystanders and every policeman automatically becomes an air raid precautions warden. “In future there must be no faint-hearted onlookers who stand around without lending a hand. There are always certain people who only help when forced by law, stated the radio, (Hitherto air raid precautions duty has only been enforced in areas where the Royal Air Force has been active.)

BRITISH PARATROOPS IN DENMARK

BERLIN RADIO REPORT' LONDON, April 1 British paratroops dropped in Denmark started fires at a German barracks and large engineering works, states the Berlin radio. The radio declares that Danes are assisting the British to reach vital objectives, and it adds that armed British paratroops are apparently able to force their way into Danish industrial plants and persuade the workers to keep silent while they plant bombs. JAPANESE FORCE TRAPPED HEAVY ATTACK BY CHINESE mec, 11 p.m.) CHUNGKING, April 4. The Chinese High Command communique says that several thousand Japanese, who were allowed to advance into a deliberate trap, are now surrounded and are under ferocious attack west of Kingmen, 170 miles north-west of Hankow. The Japanese raided Chungking yesterday. They dropped .bombs on the city and the airfield.