PERSISTENT BOMBING

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 7

PERSISTENT BOMBING

NO PEACE FOR NAZI BASES RAF. VISITS TO NORWAY AND DENMARK ATTACK ON WESTERLAND AERODROME ON SYLT Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright ■ LONDON, April 24. An Air Ministry communique states that 11.A.F, bombers carried out a further series of offensive operations last night against air bases available to the enemy for use in the invasion of Norway. Bombers heavily and successfully attacked the Westerland aerodrome, on Sylt. Bombs were dropped on hangars and runways. Several fires were started, and a huge explosion occurred. A number of enemy patrol vessels were encountered north of Sylt. These opened heavy anti-aircraft fire on our aircraft. They were immediately attacked and two were sunk. Attacks were also made against enemy air bases at Aalborg, Kristiansand, Oslo, and Stavanger, while an offensive reconnaissance was carried out over Trondheim Fiord. MANY HITS SCORED. The Westerland aerodrome wag bombed almost continuously for 100 minutes. Twenty enemy planes were heavily bombed at Stavanger, and it is believed that a number were destroyed and others badly damaged. The raiders at Kristiansand concentrated on runways and aerodrome buildings. They evaded a barrage from the ground defences and scored many hits'. Aalborg was raided in moonlight and high' level bombing scored many hits. Royal Air Force machines also attacked a large force of long-range bombers. \ Many planes were employed in widespread operations, and two have not returned. The Official German News Agency says British planes dropped 10 bombs on Sylt, but no damage was done. Anti-aircraft defences routed the raiders. It adds: “Bad weather over the North Sea caused the German planes, to fly low, exposing them to fire from British warships, and one Heinkel was damaged." HAVOC AT STAVANGER. High explosive bombs played new havoc with the already crater-pitted, aerodrome, surface, and one raider, in a dive bombing attack at a low level, released a heavy salvo, which was seen to fall and burst near the side of the main runway. A strongly-burning fire was reported. by one of the returning raiders. The Kristiansand raiders also concentrated their attentions on the runways and aerodrome buildings. Attacking in quick succession from different heights, they successfully evaded the barrage put up by the ground defences and registered numerous hits. Bomb bursts were observed and confirmed on the edge of the runway and between the runway and hangars, and one salvo exploded within 50yds of the main hangars. The Fornebu air base, Oslo’s principal airport for both land and sea planes, lying to the west of the city, was also, raided by part of the same attacking force, and heavy bombs were dropped on the aerodrome to increase the damage already done to the landing ground in the previous night raid. SUPPLY SHIPS ATTACKED. One aircraft detailed for the attack on Fornebu did not reach its objective, having previously sighted two enemy supply ships steaming north nsar the head of the Oslo Fiord. Coming down to 2,000 ft, the aircraft dropped two salvos of bombs in succession, which burst close to the leading vessel. Then it followed up its attack by descending to within 150 ft of the water and carrying out a close-range machine-gun attack on the decks and superstructure of the leading ship as it made for the shore. AT AALBORG. The attack on Aalborg—the fourth successive raid by the 11.A.F. on Germany’s principal air base in Denmark —was made in perfect weather under a cloudless sky by the full moon. For the first time no enemy aircraft were seen on the aerodrome, but powerful ground defences were on the alert, and the British raiders were met by a barrage of fire over the target area and the persistent attentions of a ring of blue-white searchlights ranged in a circle outside the aerodrome. Highlevel bombing attacks were made in clear moonlight, and numerous hits were observed on the aerodrome. The raid on Westerland, which is a convenient base for attacks on shipping along the coast of Norway and against the Allied troops and lines of communication, was carried out by a large force of long-range bombers. One hangar was hit several tjmes and another is believed to have been badly damaged by bombs which fell between it and the runway. At the time of the attack night operations were evidently being carried out by the enemy, for one pilot reported that lights were seen on hangars and round the boundary of the aerodrome. These were extinguished as he neared his objective. The'approach to Westerland was made from various directions and there was little doubt that this method of attack momentarily took the enemy by surprise, for the first bomber to reach its objective encountered only moderate fire. The opposition increased in intensity, however, as the attack developed and throughout most of the

action pom-poms placed round the aerodrome maintained a steady barrage of fire. SECURITY PATROLS. While these raids were in progress other aircraft of the Bomber Command were carrying out the customary security patrol over the bases of the German mine-laying aircraft. One of these, patrolling off the island of Sylt, was fired on by two naval auxiliaries. Selecting its target and diving from 4,000 ft to 1,500 ft in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire the British aircraft bombed' one of the ships. The anti-air-craft fire ceased abruptly and in the words of the pilot’s own report, “ The ship disappeared.” Another aircraft ,pa*trolling a nearby, area soon after midnight came under fire from two large motor boats., The aircraft at once made a low-level bombing attack, dropping six bombs in quick succession and turning back to observe the results. The pilot could see only one boat on the water. This aircraft was also able to observe the attack on Westerland from a distance and reported seeing a large explosion on the west side of the aerodrome. A GERMAN ALLEGATION WITHOUT FOUNDATION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 25. (Received April 26, at 11.16 a.m.) This afternoon the Air Ministry made the following announcement: — “ The German High Command communique alleges that on Tuesday night Britain opened unrestricted air warfare by attacking undefended places with no military objectives. This allegation is unfounded. The attack on the island of Sylt was directed against the westerland aerodrome, an important military objective, and one of the most heavily defended places in Germany. No attack was made on the town of Heide.”