COLOGNE AGAIN BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1940, Page 7

COLOGNE AGAIN BOMBED

IMPORTANT BRIDGE ABLAZE RAILWAY YARDS DESTROYED [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, November 28. The main'weight of last night’s bomber offensive was directed at targets in and around Cologne, which was heavily attacked. The communique adds: Other aircraft bombed the invasion ports of Antwerp, Le Havre, and Boulogne, and several enemy aerodromes. One of our aircraft’ is missing.

The famous Hohenzollern bridge over the was an important objective of the British bombers’ attack on Cologne, last night, says the Air Ministry News service. For nearly two hours, from shortly after 10 o’clock until midnight, heavy bombers concentrated on the network of railways, goods yards and railway stations on both sides of the bridge, which is a triple bridge, carrying two doubletrack railways and highways. Although the sky was not clear, and at some periods clouds were low over the city, the ground was never completely hidden. Most of our pilots found the visibility fairly good. Soon after the first bomb had fallen, three fires started at the western approach to the bridge. Later, there was a large fire in a goods yard, and east of the bridge there were other fires in the target area, one of which was a mile long and very broad. It is certain that the British bombers must have hindered the flow of essential traffic at this. vital point. Though Cologne has other bridges across the Rhine, the Hohenzollern bridge and its railways are the main connections, not only between the districts in Cologne and on each side of the river, but also between North Germany and the provinces. Much traffic to the countries which Germany has over-run must also go this way. To add to the dislocation of the traffic, other goods yards were raided in other quarters .of the city. The extensive yards in the Gereon quarter were attacked by a small force of heavy bombers, which were over the objective for nearly four hours. Highexplosive and incendiary bombs caused many fires and subsequent explosions. In one case, a series of connected explosions, on a very large scale, lasted for fully 30 seconds—an exceptional and impressive phenomenon.

Bursts were seen in the goods yards in the northern half of the district on the right bank of the Rhine, also in the yards in the Nippes district. Docks- and wharves on both banks of the Rhine were raided, chiefly by medium bomber's, at an early hour of the night. Bombs were dropped directly over the dock basin, and fires were lit in the area.

The power station at Cologne was also raided by several aircraft. The pilots reported that all the bombs fell in the target area, and fires and violent explosions followed. Shortly before 5 a.m., the Humboldt works here were attacked. Bombs exploded on the south-east corner of the target, and four fires soon broke out.

GERMAN VERSION. (Recd. Nov. 29, 11.20 a.m.)'. LONDON, November 28.. A German communique states: British planes damaged a number of houses in western Germany. Four were killed and several injured. SKILFUL NAVIGATION. RUGBY, November 28. British airmen, who recent attacked with success, military objectives at Danzig, and scattered leaflets in Poland under difficult and hazardous conditions, are mentioned in the latest list of R.A.F. awards. Acting Flying Officer G. F. Reid, who receives the D.F.C., was the navigator of the aircraft detailed to undertake such a double operation. “By skilful and accurate navigation, he contributed largely to the success of the operation, which was completed in 101- hours.” The D.F.M. is awarded to Sergeant G. E. Price, for the accomplishment of a similar two-fold mission. “In spite of hazardous conditions, involving long periods of instrument flying, he completed his tasks successfully, and returned to the base after IOJ hours’ dying. A few nights earlier, he carried out a successful attack on Kiel, under extremely difficult flying conditions.” The list comprises six D.F.C.’s and three D.F.M.’s.

BOMBER SHOOTS FIGHTER. RUGBY, November 28. An R.A.F. bomber’s unusual feat of shooting down an enemy fighter by night is described by a sergeant airgunner. “We were on our way back from bombing Hamburg. Two antiaircraft shells hit us, but the aircraft was still in good shape. Over Bremerhaven, searchlights caught us, but there was no attempt to renew the anti-aircraft fire. We very soon saw why they were letting us go along. An ME 109 was coming for us from behind the searchlight beam. When I saw it, there was only 100 yards between us. There was a burst of ma-chine-gun fire, and a number of bullets hit us. I fired both guns, and caught the Messerschmitt just as it did a steep bank right over our wing. My pilot told me afterwards that he saw it flash past dur nose, flames pouring from it. A few seconds later I saw it again, plunging straight down. Hitting the ground, it exploded at once.” MARSEILLES BOMBING. RUGBY, November 28. In connection with the Vichy protest, it is understood that investigations are continuing, with a view to ascertaining the possibility of Marseilles having been bombed by the R.A.F., by accident, on the night in question. Meantime, it is noticed here that al-, lusions to the alleged incident, in foreign news broadcasts, carried the implication that Marseilles was deliberately bombed, for the purpose of destroying certain factories. Such suggestions are wholly without foundation, and official quarters in London give them a categorical denial.