GERMAN TOWNS BOMBED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 180, 28 April 1941, Page 8

GERMAN TOWNS BOMBED

Much R.A.F. Activity KIEL MAIN TARGET Raids On Successive Nights

(British Official Wirelegs.) (Received April 27, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 26. An Air Ministry communique says Kiel was the principal objective of last night’s operations by the Bomber Command. Many fires broke out in the shipyards and dock area. Targets in Berlin, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Emden, Lubeck and .Friedrichstadt were bombed and also oil stores at Rotterdam.’

The Bomber Command was also very active during the day.

At Ijinuiden the iron and steel works were successfully attacked. Bombs fell across the blast furnaces and factory buildings. The plant, which was in full operation when the attack took place, was left wrapped in a pall of smoke. Direct hits were made on barges and Quayside buildings in the docks, and gun-pits, troops and shipping were machine-gunned. On the German island of Baltrum a factory building was bombed and severely damaged. Bombs dropped on the railway between Middelburg and Flushing—on the island of Walcheren—hit the track. Other bombers made ’ attacks over enemy-occupied Denmark, railways and two wireless stations being bombed. In addition, to the land attacks the usual" searches for enemy shipping we’re made. A supply vessel in the canal joining Rotterdam to the North Sea was hit from a height of 24 feet and sunk. Other aircraft discovered three ships in a convoy which was heavily escorted some miles west of Heligoland. These were attacked from a very low level. The largest was set ou fire and almost certainly destroyed. Another, hit on the stern, was severely damaged. The convoy and its escort were also machine-gunned. From these day and night operations two of our aircraft are missing. Royal Air Force fighters today carried out several offensive patrols over northern France and the Channel. Two of our planes are missing. One enemy fighter was shot down, off the south-east! coast. Thursday's Raids. On Thursday night Kiel and Wilhelmshaven were attacked by a strong force of Bomber Command planes. At Kiel, which was the main objective, fires again raged iu the shipyards and industrial areas, and a large number of high-explosive bombs added to the damage. Other attacks were made during Thursday night by the Bomber aud Coastal Commands-on docks and other objectives on the coasts of Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France. Two planes are missing from these night operations. Thursday’s attack on Kiel was made when the weather was dark but clear. The main objectives were the shipyards, especially the Germania and Deutsche Werke yards, which build submarines and surface warships. Toward the end of the attack the light of the large fires which were burning enabled many of the crews to make out the extensive areas devastated in earlier raids.

The many high-explosive bombs which were dropped last night burst in all parts of the target area. The usual heavy barrage by which the Germans signal the importance they attach to Kiel met the British bombers as they went in. There were reports of shells bursting near, and sometimes even doing slight damage, but the British planes got through the curtains of fire and dropped a very substantial load of bombs.

The attack, on Wilhelmshaven was less heavy but proportionately as successful.

In’ a daylight attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Norway, one engind of one of the British aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and put out of action. The captain brpught the aircraft safely back over a long journey on one engine, without further mishap—a remarkable feat of airmanship. The tanker, a vessel of at least 1500 tons, was on fire when it was last seen, and volumes of black smoke were pouring from amidships. Another formation of planes bombed a wireless station on an island near the/coast of Norway and demolished one of the buildings. Offensive patrols were carried out over northern France yesterday by R.A.F. fighters. German fighters were machine-gunned on aerodromes. From the daylight operations one British fighter is missing. HAMBURG SUFFERS Saturday Night’s R.A.F. Raids LONDON, April 27. Hamburg was the main objective of the R.A.F. last night. An Air Ministry communique says that tires were started in the industrial area. Emden and Cuxhaven were also bombed. NEW BRITISH FIGHTER Now In Full Production (Received April 26, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON,' April 25. The new Typoon fighter is now in full production. It is powered by a Sabre engine and is a single-seater with a speed of more than 400 miles an hour. The armament consists of machine-guns and cannon. Its ceiling is higher than that of any enemy machine, and it can climb like a rocket with full war load.

SHORTER BLACKOUT Alteration In Britain 4 {British Utliciai Uireiess.i (Received April 27, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, April 26. With the introduction of an additional hour of summer time on May 4, the length of the blackout itself will also be shortened by an hour in Scotland and the north, and by half an hour in the rest of England and in Wales. At present the blackout commences half an hour after sunset and ends half an hour before sunrise. During the three months period of additional summertime this interval will be increased to an hour and three-quarters of an hour respectively in the two areas.