RAIDS ON GERMANY

Evening Star, Issue 23863, 18 April 1941, Page 5

RAIDS ON GERMANY

R.A.F. ACTIVITIES BREMEN THE PRINCIPAL TARGET BREST DOCKS BOMBED AGAIN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 17. (Received April 18, at 9.57 a.m.) Further details of yesterday’s and last night’s R.A.F. raids on Germany are given in an Air Ministry communique, which states: The weight of last night's attack by aircraft of the Bomber Command fell on a number of north German towns, hut mainly on Bremen. Though haze made it difficult to observe the full effects'of the bombing, fires were seen spreading in many parts of Bremen. Williemshaven, Cuxbaven, and Wesernuinde were among the other objectives attacked. Aircraft of the Coastal Command bombed the docks at Brest during the night. In the course of widespread operations in daylight yesterday, a formation of Blenheim aircraft of the Bomber Command attacked the Island of Heligoland. Other Blenheims, escorted by fighters, attacked the aerodrome at Berek-Sur-Mer and did considerable damage. From all these operations one aircraft of the Bomber Command and three of the Fighter Command are missing. One fighter pilot is safe. An aircraft of the Coastal Command is missing from patrol yesterday. FIVE HOURS OVER BREMEN HUGE FIRES STARTED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 17. (Received April 18, at 11.45 a.m.) “ By attacking Bremen last night aircraft of the Bomber Command struck a double blow both against German industry and against the resources which help to sustain the enemy’s commerce raiders in the Atlantic,” says the Air Ministry News Service. “ Shipyards which in peace time are used to build great liuers like the Bremen were the focus of the attack, while other squadrons concentrated on the industrial centre of Bremen. The attack lasted over five hours. It was not a night when results of bombing could bo observed in detail, but our pilots were able to get some idea of the damage they were doing by watchingthe spreading patches of suffused red in the dark veil which covered the city. Steadily and methodically they began fires, then bombed them, and saw they were stretching outwards before they turned for home to make again the journey through the clouds which hung over the North Sea.