BIG RAF. RAIDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 February 1941, Page 7

BIG RAF. RAIDS

INVASION PORTS BOMBED —— Q RUHR AGAIN HAMMERED [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, February. 16.

Hour after hour last night, thousands of people on the south coast watched what agency messages describe as the biggest attacks yet carried out by the Royal Air Force on the German invasion ports. Attacks of great intensity were made all along the coast from Ostend to Boulogne. Several large fires were seen, and at intervals the explosions shook the English side of the Channel. There were great flashes as if ammunition or petrol dumps had exploded.

Hundreds of bombs fell on the invasion ports over 20 miles of the French coast.

Eye-witnesses declared that all visible portions of the French coast were a mass of flame, far greater than anything seen hitherto. The chain of fires steadily grew from Calais to Dunkirk, but the fiercest attack seemed to be on Boulogne. For the second night in succession heavy attacks were made by the Royal Air Force on industrial targets in the Ruhr. An Air Ministry communique issued on Saturday afternoon states: “Last night aircraft of the Bomber Command attacked industrial targets in the Ruhr and enemy aerodromes in north-west Germany and Holland.

“At Gelsenkirchen bombs were seen to burst in an area covered by oil plants, and fires were started. The inland port of Duisburg-Ruhrort and targets in the neighbourhood of the port were also successfully bombed and set on fire. One of our aircraft is missing. “The docks at Ostend were attacked during the night by Coastal Command aircraft, without loss.” Another Air Ministry communique states: “In daylight on Friday several of our aircraft attacked the docks at Calais and Den Helder. Bursts were seen on the harbour and lock gates at Den Helder, and a direct hit was scored on the stern of a supply ship at anchor. “Another aircraft bombed an enemy tanker off the Norwegian coast. The tanker was left on fire with oil burning on the water round her. None of our aircraft is missing from these operations.” An Air Ministry news bulletin states that the enemy tanker which was bombed and left on fire off the Norwegian coast was a ship of 1500 tons. It was bombed by Blenheims of the Coastal Command, and was hit several times.

MANY FIRES STARTED.

RUGBY, February 16

An Air Ministry communique states: “Objectives in the western Ruhr were the targets of a considerable attack made by aircraft of the Bomber Command, last night. Ground haze made observation difficult., A large number of high-ex-plosives were seen to explode in the target area, causing many large fires. “The port of Rotterdam was also attacked, and bombs were seen ’ to burst in the dock area. “Other aircraft of the Bomber Command carried out a successful sustained routine attack on the docks at Boulogne. Many large fires were started, and later aircraft were unable to distinguish the bursting of their bombs in the flames. “From all these operations, two of our aircraft are missing. “Aircraft of the Coastal Command also raided the docks at Calais during the night, without loss. From other operations of the Coastal Command, yesterday, three of our aircraft are missing.”

' RELENTLESS ONSLAUGHT. LONDON, February 16. R.A.F. planes gave the invasion coast its longest and most persistent “blitz” on Saturday night, beginning at 8 o’clock. It was continued well after midnight. Boulogne was almost incessantly attacked, while more and more bombers roared over. The whole Kent coast reverberated with the sound, shaking the houses. Considerable inland attacks ranged from Ostend back to Dunkirk, to Gravelines, to Calais, returning to Boulogne and taking in gun emplacements at Cap Gris Nez. Every antiaircraft gun and every moored flagship along the coast barked and spat in an attempt to beat off the R.A.F. planes’ relentless onslaught. This was the German gunners’ biggest barrage, but it was no use. Terrific explosions went on, suggesting that ammunition and bomb dumps and petrol stores were blown up. An enormous, persistent fire near Boulogne suggested the aerodrome was set afire. Another fire persisted on the waterfront, and another near Calais. Searchlights spread fanwise, converged, wavered, impotently groping for the attackers in a canopy of smoke over the coast. Hundreds of servicemen and civilians crowded from dance halls and other coastal amusements, and watch and cheered the R.A.F. planes. Motorists lined English cliff-top for hours long. One exclaimed: “It would do Londoners the world of good, this show.”

GERMAN ADMISSION. BERLIN, February 15. A communique states: R.A.F. planes dropped high-explosive and incendiary bombs in the Reich last night, especially on a town in West Germany, where there were a number of civilians killed and wounded.

ITALIANS OUT OF SUDAN. CAIRO, February 16. ' The reoccupation of Kurmuk means that the Italians have been completely driven out of the Sudan. The small Italian garrison withdrew in darkness, after constant pressure by British patrols, who are now pursuing the fleeing Italians into Abyssinia. Meanwhile, the British forces operating at Keren are steadily gaining ground, in preparation 'for the assault. The British column advancing south along the Red Sea .coastal plain has reached a point southward of Nakfa, and is reported to be within 50 miles of Keren.