DAYLIGHT RAID ON HELIGOLAND

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 195, 15 May 1941, Page 10

DAYLIGHT RAID ON HELIGOLAND

Succession Of Attacks MINOR ACTIVITY OVER BRITAIN

LONDON, May 14.

R.A.F. bombers yesterday made a daylight raid on Heligoland. They launched a succession of attacks from only a few hundred feet above their targets, causing great confusion.

Other activities by the R.A.H included attacks on shipping off the coasts of Holland and France, several ships being sunk and damaged. The weather last night was unsuitable for large-scale operations. British fighters successfully attacked the aerodrome at Ostend.

No British aircraft is missing from the attack made on Monday night on the Rhineland, where Mannheim was the main objective. The Air Ministry communique, announces that aircraft of the Bomber Command resumed the attack on objectives in the Rhineland. Many large fires were started at Mannheim and Coblenz was also bombed. Other aircraft attacked docks at Ostend and Dunkirk.

Coastal Command aircraft attacked the docks at St. Nazaire. One of these aircraft is missing. The success of the raids on the Rhineland industries is shown.in further details given by the Air Ministry News Service. The weather over Mannheim was variable, but was often clear enough to allow accurate bombing and good observation of the results. A heavy load of incendiaries and high explosives was dropped on Mannheim and the industrial suburbs of Ludwigshaven. mi the opposite bank of the Rhine. Little Activity Over Britain. There was very little activity over this country last night. An Air Ministry communique says bombs were dropped in a few places, causing only slight damage. The casualties were few. No bombs were dropped on Britain during daylight yesterday. One enemy plane was shot down into the sea by an R.A.F. fighter. It is now known that, another enemy aircraft was destroyed in daylight on Thursday, making a total of 15 destroyed that day. The extra one was shot down by the ground defences at a searchlight station. The destruction of three more enemy aircraft during Sunday night is now confirmed. This makes a total of twelve enemy bombers destroyed that night, and 137 for the first twelve nights of May. Enemy activity over Britain ou Monday night was on a very small scale, A few bombs were dropped at places in south-west England, East Anglia, and elsewhere. Little damage was done, and the total number of casualties was small. One enemy aircraft is known to have been -destroyed.