BIG AIR RAIDS IN JULY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24020, 7 August 1943, Page 5

BIG AIR RAIDS IN JULY

VAST ORGANISATION BEHIND ATTACKS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Aug. 5. Speaking of the recent attacks on Hamburg, a Royal Air Force commentator said in London to-day that of 4000 acres of fully built up industrial areas in the city 1700 had been destroyed, and of 3400 acres of partly built up areas 1900 acres had been destroyed up to the night of August 2. Few people realised the vast organisation behind such attacks, he said. In one heavy attack on Hamburg between 5000 and 6000 airmen might be engaged and a total of 100,000 persons when ground crews and others engaged directly or indirectly were taken into account. airfields might be used. From July 24 to July 31, Bomber Command made a new record by dropping 12,000 tons of bombs from aircraft based on Britain. In the same period the Luftwaffe dropped between 60 and 70 tons on Britain. Attacks in Sicily The commentator added that in the first week of the assault on Sicily 15,000 sorties were made, more than 6000 tons of bombs were dropped, and more than 300 enemy aircraft were destroyed. More than 500 aircraft were based on Malta and Gozo (a small island of the Maltese group four miles north-west of Malta itself), where an airfield was made in 18 days, and night fighters from these islands had destroyed 46 long-range enemy bombers in that first week. From Britain the Fighter Command made more than 11,000 offensive sorties in July, which was a record. The Air Ministry states that these record fighter and bomber activities in July included about 100 locomotives destroyed or badly damaged by fighters and fighter-bombers, not including locomotives destroyed or damaged during attacks on railway centres. The special correspondent of the Ngw Zealand Press Association says that New Zealanders participated in all four of the big Royal Air Force raids against Hamburg. Describing the last raid on August 2, Flight Sergeant A. W. Tqdd, of Wanganui, who belongs to a Lancaster squadron whose motto is "Despite the Elements,” said the clouds were very dense, miles high, and so thick that the pilots were unable to find a gap at the height at which they were flying. “We had to come down to 8000 feet before getting under them. A violent thunderstorm was raging, and brilliant flashes of lightning lit up the ground. Suddenly I saw the twisting outline of the Elbe and found out where we were. We were one of the first bombers over the target, but as we turned away more and more aircraft arrived. We could see the glow of the fires reflected on the clouds for a long time after setting our course for home.” Flying Officer J. H. Christiansen, of Palmerston North, and Pilot Officer C. Wright, of Auckland, said the enemy searchlights were quite ineffective when (hey were flying through cloud. Even the flak was not so bad as expected, but when the bombers came down under the clouds things livened up a lot. Another New Zealander said his aircraft was over the target for 15 minutes. He crossed it six times before he was able to find a way through the cloud. MAPS FOR EVERYBODY. AT SIMPSON AND WILLIAMS, LTD. Clear, up-to-date, well printed maps covering all countries “in the news." Far East and Pacific (2/-). The World (2/-), Europe and Mediterranean (2/6). New Zealand and Dependencies (2/-), Christchurch Wall and Pocket (2/-), md Mediterranean Basin (2/-). (Postage 2d each extra.) Order early from Simpson and Williams, Ltd., 238 High street, Christchurch. —1