HUGE BLASTS OF NEW BOMB

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 181, 29 April 1941, Page 8

HUGE BLASTS OF NEW BOMB

Raid on Hamburg PILOTS WATCH EFFECT Volcanic Eruptions (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 27. Describing last night’s raid on Hamburg, in which the latest and most powerful bombs were used, the Air Ministry reports that nightfighters were up again attempting to intercept the bombers as they neared the enemy coast, but, save' for a Messerschmitt 110 which followed one aircraft for half an hour and then broke off after a brief exchange of fire, there were no obstacles. The bombers arrived over Hamburg to find low drifting clouds between them and the ground, but every now and then there were clear patches througli which to aim bombs and see results.

The pilots’ impressions of the effects of these powerful bombs are very similar. One pilot spoke of a “huge heaving mass like a volcano eruption, which rose and settled down into a great red glow fully half a mile in diameter.” The burst of this bomb was seen by the sergeant pilot of an other aircraft. “It was away on our port side,” he said. “We were 10 miles off, but even from that distance it was terrific.”

One aircraft which attacked Bremerhaven dropped its load, and the effect was very much the same as at Ham burg. “I had with me one of the powerful bombs,” said the pilot, “and after it burst I could see a great circle of red, and, on the rim of it, quite a distance from the centre, I saw buildings going up in the air. Though I have been on 31 raids, I have never seen anything else to match the effect of this bomb.”

Daylight Attacks.

During daylight yesterday the Bomber Command continued its operations against enemy shipping. Three supply ships were attacked off the coast of Norway, and at least one sank. A vessel of about 4000 tons in an escorted convoy off the Frisian Islands was bombed and damaged. Flak ships near the Dutch coast were attacked with bombs and machine-gun tire.

A successful surprise attack was made on one aerodrome near Sund, Norway, yesterday. Two grounded aircraft were destroyed by bombs and others machine-gunned. In addition to the main attack last night on industrial and dock objectives at Hamburg, other aircraft attacked Emden, Bremerhaven, and Cuxhaven, From all these day and night operations five planes are missing. The Coastal Command last night successfully bombed docks at Be Havre and Ijmuiden. No aircraft are missing from these operations. SHARP RAID ON PORTSMOUTH Residential Areas Suffer LONDON, April 28. Portsmouth bore the brunt of last night’s enemy raids on this country. The barrage which met the raiders is described as exceptionally fierce. One Herman bomber was brought down and agency messages say another was accounted for.

The raid was short and sharp. Considerable damage was done in the residential areas of the town. Many fires caused by incendiary bombs were promptly dealt with. The casualties were heavy, but the number killed was not large. A few bombs were dropped in southwest England and in Scotland, but there were no casualties.