BERLIN BOMBING

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 27, 26 October 1940, Page 11

BERLIN BOMBING

R.A.F. Offensive Continues 1 SUPPLY SHIPS SUNK LONDON, October 25. Royal Air Force bombers last night resumed their offensive against Germany. Industrial targets in western and northern Germany, a shipbuilding yard in northern Germany and objectives in German-occupied territory were attacked. , The German radio reports that there was a raid over the capital again last night. High-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped and several fires started. LONDON, October 24. Au Air Afiuistry communique states: "Last night our bombers attacked objectives in the Berlin area, causing fires and explosions. Other forces of aircraft carried out a concentrated raid on railways, wharves, and warehouses at lira port of Emden. Our bombers also attacked a uumlier of other targets in Germany and enemy-occupied territory, including oil plants at Magdeburg and Hanover, goods yards east of Berlin, near Hanover, and at Frankfurt, various industrial* targets and railway junctions in northern and western Germany, docks at the Hook of Holland, ami several enemy aerodromes. One of our aircraft is missing. The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press says that the R.A.F. appeared to swoop very low. Their engines were heard loudly and distinctly for a prolonged period. 'Searchlights silhouetted the raiders | against the clouds while anti-aircraft ■ guns thundered incessantly. Two Ships Torpedoed. A Beaufort aircraft of the Coastal i Command yesterday torpedoed two I German supply ships in a convoy oft I the Frisian Islands. The Beaufort I came down out of the sun aud was i almost invisible to the look-out men aboard the German vessels. There were great explosions as the torpedoes I struck the ships. The Beaufort’s pilot, : who was under heavy anti-aircraft lire I from the rest of the convoy and the escort vessels, saw a ship of 4000 tons I sinking by the stern. Another of 2000 tons was going down so fast that her ’ decks were already awash. Another German convoy was at- I tacked off Trondheim, this time by a I Hudson of the Coastal Command. The Hudson’s pilot could just discern the outlines of three ships in the gathering darkness. He dived over them and machine-gunned them till only 100 feet above the decks. He and his gunners put 40(W rounds into the ships before resuming their patrol. A German communique says: "Heavy bombers again attacked London, dropping many bombs. Naval guns drove off a few enemy warships which attempted to approach Belgium. The | R.A.F, flew over Germany. Only | single planes reached the capital and I dropped mainly incendiary bombs on residential quarters. A factory was I slightly damaged.”

GROWING STRENGTH OF R.A.F.

Better Planes Building LONDON. October 24. The already severe bombing of Germany and Italy will be intensified in the coming months, when Hie R.A.F. will have more and even better botnliing planes, said Air Alarshal Sir Philip Joubert. Already the British force was increasing in strength. For example, in one week British raiders had visited Berlin, the Ruhr, the invasion ports, and northern Italy. Next: spring, with the help of American aircraft, Britain would return to Germany with seven-fold interest the bpinbing she had had to endure. Ho revealed that most of the bombing of London bad been done from n height of 14,000 feet. He also said that, new British fighters were being built, which would be faster, could climb higher, and would be more heavily armed than the Spitfires, which had smashed the German air attack on Britain. The Defiant tighter was now back on its proper job as a night fighter.

CRASH IN GARDEN

Air Vice-Marshal Killed LONDON. October 24. The "Evening’News" reports that Air Vice-Marshal C. 11. B. Blount, commander of Hie air component of tlie B.E.F. in France, was killed in an air crash. llis plane failed to gain height and hit a tree after taking off. it skimmed some houses, stripping off tiles, and crashed in a garden, smashing in Hie front of tt house ami damaging two others. The plane then caught fire.

PARACHUTE CORPS

Establishment In Canada Likely (Received October 25, 7.40 p.m.) OTTAWA, October 24. The Air Minister, Mr. Power, said Canada was seriously considering the establishment of a parachute corps. "It is felt that training should begin in preparation for the time when wc will take the offensive." he said.