BLASTED BY R.A.F.

Evening Star, Issue 23881, 10 May 1941, Page 11

BLASTED BY R.A.F.

MASSIVE ATTACKS ON HAMBURG AND BREMEN HEAVIEST RAID YET MADE OH DERMANY HUNDREDS OF TONS OF BOMBS DROPPED (British. Official Wireless.) . Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, May 9. (Received- May 10, at 11 a.ra.) - An Air Ministry communique describes last night’s massive R.A.E. attacks on German naval and industrial centres and elese'where, and also yesterday’s widespread daylight operations by Bomber, Fighter, and Coastal Commands aircraft. It states: “ Hamburg and Bremen last night bore the brunt of the heaviest attack yet made by the R.A.F. on Germany. The weather was good, and our bombers pressed home the attacks with decisive results, in spite of strong opposition! High explosives caused widespread destruction, and many great fires were seen raging in the shipyards and industrial quarters of both cities.” ' The intensity of the raids on Bremen and Hamburg last night can be gauged from a fuller description by the Air Ministry. A record number of aircraft attacked. and incendiaries in tens of thousands and high explosives in hundreds of tons covered the cities with fires and smoke. Buildings were rent and smashed. Germany’s submarine and shipbuilding yards were remorselessly bombarded and left with fires blazing in their midst. Pilots* reports speak of ” areas a mass of flame, in which it was impossible to distinguish the separate fires,” of terrific explosions, of smoke rising 10,000 ft and of “ our most powerful bombs dropped into the heart of the raging fires.” The Press Association’s aeronautical correspondent estimates the number of bombers which took part in the attack at between 300 and 400.

Other aircraft of the Bomber Command carried out subsidiary attacks during the night on Berlin, Emden, and other targets in North-west Germany, and on German coastal shipping. In daylight yesterday shipping was attacked off the Norwegian coast. A German escort vessel was left on fire and down by the stern. > Ten aircraft of the Bomber Command are missing from the night operations and one from the day. Aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked the submarine at St. Nazaire last night. None of these aircraft is missing. BRITISH NIGHT FIGHTERS THE LUFTWAFFE ALARMED ESCORTS ACCOMPANY BOMBERS LONDON, May 8. The aeronautical representative of the ‘ Daily Mail ’ says the Luftwaffe is alarmed at the increasing toll taken bv R.A.F. night fighters, and is now sending : a fighter escort for night bombers. The first moonlight dogfights between British and German fighters opeurred on Wednesday. The Berlin radio, describing the clash bombers and British night fighters, said the latter were extremely fast. It also described the British bombers attacking German minesweepers in the following term's : —“ These new bombers are monstrous. They are magnificent and deadly machines, and one must get in first to save one’s own skin.” . , ‘ The Times says it should not be assumed that the problem of night raiders bas been solved, or that our night fighters will always be able to maintain such a high average of success. The problem of finding the enemy on dark nights remains difficult. More and more R.A.F. night fighters are operating, the effect of which is .reflected in the increased number of night raiders being brought down. It is now known that 13 eneniy fighters and one bomber were shot down in daylight on May 8. RAIDS ON MALTA 82 SINGE SEPTEMBER CASUALTY PARTICULARS NOT AVAILABLE , ' LONDON, May 9. Since September, Malta has been raided .82 times. This was disclosed in a reply to a question in the House of Commons, when it was' also stated that particulars of the civilian casualties caused in'these raids were-not available in Britain. RAIDS ON PLYMOUTH WELL-KNOWN BUILDINGS DAMAGED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 9, (Received May 10, at 8 a.m.) Amongst the well-known building* damaged-in recent raids on Plymouth were the Guildhall, the Athenaeum, the Plymouth Library, and the Sailors’Rest. SHIPPING FOR BRITAIN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S POOL PUN WASHINGTON. May 9. Twenty-five ships, totalling 200.000 tons, belonging to the Alcoa Steamship Company, have been chartered to Canadian interests under President Roosevelt’s 2.000,000-ton shipping pool plan to assist Britain.