R.A.F. RAIDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 42, 18 August 1941, Page 7

R.A.F. RAIDERS

RHINELAND AND RUHR

PRAISE FOR CREWS

LONDON, August 17. In unfavourable weather, a considerable force of R.A.F. bombers last night attacked industrial targets in the Rhineland and the Ruhr. They concentrated mainly on industrial targets at, Cologne, Dusseldorf. and Duisberg, and

dropped a heavy weight of bombs,

At Duisberg a fire a quarter of a mile long was seen when returning aircraft crossed the Dutch coast. Antiaircraft opposition and searchlights were very active. One bomber shot down an enemy fighter.

The dock areas at Rotterdam and Ostend were also visited. In these operations the R.A.F. lost Vi machines.

Last night's raids were the sequel to daylight sweeps in which the R.A.F. destroyed 19 enemy fighters and severely damaged military objectives in occupied territory.

Yesterday evening gunfire from a British convoy and escorts brought down an enemy bomber and crippled two others when a raiding force made a determined but fruitless attack. No casualties were suffered by our ships. MAGNIFICENT WORK. Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary for Air, speeded the bomber forces on their big offensive against the Ruhr and the Rhineland last night. Addressing, the crews of the Stirlings, he said that the crews of the four-engined bombers had a big part to play in Britain's deadly blows against Germany's military powef. "You -'are playing it magnificently," he said. Addressing the crews of Wellington be bers whd were taking off for Duisberg, he said the Bomber Command was going to be the main instrument of ! victory. The fighters had saved Britain last autumn, and the bombers j | were going to smash Germany's war industries and break the will of the Gewnan people.

He added that the very heavy blows against industries in western Germany and communications between the Ruhr and the east were of considerable moment in relieving pressure on Russia.