MANY BOMBS DROPPED

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 51, 28 August 1940, Page 9

MANY BOMBS DROPPED

TARGETS IN ITALY

27 AERODROMES ATTACKED

„ (Official Wireless and U.P.A.)

(Received August 28, noon.)

An Air Ministry communique, says:—"R.A.F. bombers on Monday I made daylight attacks on enemy aerodromes. The scope of these attacks -was greatly extended last - night. Twenty-seven aerodromes in Germany, Holland, Belgium, and enemy-occupied France were bombed. Over Nivelles aerodrome one of our bombers returning from Germany shot down an enemy bomber returning from England. "Apart from the attack on the Italian objectives, the main strength of our bomber force last night was directed against a synthetic oil plant at Leuna, west of Leipzig, and an oil depot at Frankfurt. An aircraft

factory was also attacked, and at Griesheim, on the outskirts of the city, an explosives factory was heavily bombed.

"Various objectives at Hoechst, Cologne, and Leipzig, and supply depots at Hamm and Schwerte were also bombed.

"From these widespread operations, which continued throughout the night, all but one of our aircraft returned safely. One is missing from the daylight raids."

The announcement that 27 aerodromes of use to the enemy were visited by bombers yesterday lends significance to the statement in authoritative quarters yesterday that the R.A.F. possessed all information on the present disposition of Germany's air forces and that the new bases to which she had moved forward would receive the methodical attention of British bombers.

EXTENSIVE RAIDS IN GERMANY

LONDON, August 27. „ Industrial targets in northern Italy were again successfully attacked last night, when, for the fifth time in a fortnight, bombers made a double journey over France and the Alps. The objectives were the Societia Aeronautica d'ltalia Fiat works at Turin and the Magneto Marelli factory, which make ignition generators, and the Sesto San Giovanni near Milan.

The raiders arrived over these factories just before 12.30 a.m. In the next 40 minutes they dropped some six tons of bombs. The attack on the Marelli works was made with fair visibility and no cloud and the first stick of bombs of one plane started four fires and there were two large explosions. The second stick caused bright blue and white explosions, and the third stick caused 14 fires in line.

The Fiat works at Turin were also set on fire early and guided later arrivals promptly to the scene. One pilot, who made an attack lasting 10 minutes, observed explosions for some time after he had left.

Bombs from another aircraft dropped across the south-east end of the target. While the attacks were being made two Italian fighters appeared but did not interfere with the proceedings. A communique issued in Rome admits that one of the Fiat factory buildings at Turin was hit during R.A.F. raids. A bomb fell on St. Louis Sanatorium at Turin. Anti-aircraft guns brought down a British plane at Milan. Five of the crew were killed.