HAMBURG HAMMERED

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1941, Page 5

HAMBURG HAMMERED

MORE SHIPS SUNK FOUR BRITISH PLANES MISSING RUGBY, July 17. An • Air Ministry communique states: Bomber Command aircraft attacked industrial areas at Hamburg and several other objectives in northwest Germany, last night. The weather again made observation of the results difficult, but fires were started, and many high-explosive bombs were seen to burst on the targets. Docks and warehouses at Boulogne were also bombed. Three of our aircraft are missing. ,A Beaufort aircraft of the Coastal command attacked a 6000 ton enemy tanker in the Channel, yesterday afternoon. In spite of fierce anti-air-craft fire from five escort ships, the tanker was hit amidships by torpedoes, and was left sinking. Other aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked two enemy ships, each of about 2000 tons, off the west coast of France.

A Hudson aircraft, on patrol over the coast of Norway, bombed an enemy ship of some 3000 tons. When last seen, the vessel was on fire, and settling down by the stern. No aircraft of the Coastal Command was lost in these operations, but one is missing from patrol yesterday.—B.O.W. HEAV*y DAMa’gE _ TO SHIPPING.

RUGBY, July, 17. It is now possible to tell in greater detail the story of the daylight attack carried out yesterday by Blenheims of the Bomber Command, states an Air Ministry communique, which continues: “Air reconnaissance yesterday discovered a large concentration of shipping at Rotterdam, including many vessels of 4000 tons and upwards. It is from tnis port that the enemy's garrisons in the occupied territories ai’e largely supplied. A strong force of Blenheims was therefore despatched. It crossed the Dutch coast soon after 4 p.m. on July 16, flying in two waves. The Dutch population, first in' the fields and then in the streets of the city, waved a welcome to the Blenheims as they swept into the attack, masthigh. The destruction caused to the enemy’s ships was very great. “The following main damage was caused —eleven ships, varying in tonnage between 10,000 and 20,000 tons, were hit and left smoking. The Rotterdamsche Lloyd liner Baloeran, a motor-vessel of 17,000 tons, was hit by several bombs, one falling between the funnels. Debris from the ship was thrown high into the air. Two supply-ships, each of 4000 tons, exploded, the flames from one towering above the attacking aircraft. A smaller vessel of some kind was also hit amidships, and exploded. In all, 17 ships, of estimated tonnages between 90,000 and 100,000 have been put out of action, eithex - permanently or for a long time to come.. Five more ships, totalling between 40,000 and 45,000 tons, were severely damaged. “On land, two warehouses and a factory were left burning fiercely. “In approaching the target, the Blenheims flew over Dutch territory in “V” formation. Heavy opposition was encountered from the ground defences, and four of our aircraft are missing. Two of these completed the attack, and scored direct hits or ships, before being shot down.” — 8.0.W.

FOUR ENEMY LOSSES "RUGBY, July 17. Two enemy fighters were destroyed during an offensive sweep by British fighters , over North France, this afternoon, making four enemy nghlers destroyea to-day. One of our fighters is missing.—B.O.W. FIVE TO TWO RUGBY, July 17. An Air Ministry communique states: Fighters of the R.A.F. have been active over the Channel and northern France, to-day. On Thursday, five, enemy fighters were destroyed, two during an offensive sweep over northern France, and three during patrol over the Channel. Two of our planes are missing.— 8.0.W. PILOT’S THREE VICTIMS RUGBY, July 17. How a British fighter pilot destroy ■ ed two out of four aircraft is told by the Air Ministry News Service. A Spitfire pilot tackled four MElo9’s over the' English Channel this afternoon. He destroyed two of them, and sent a third spinning towards the sea from 12,000 feet. The pilot said afterwards that not one of the three Germans he fired at returned a single shot. “I was flying at 20,000 feet,” he said, “and surprised four ME’s at 16,000 feet. I got into the best position to fire at one ot them, and my first burst went straight into the cockpit. The aircraft caught fire and went down. In less than ten seconds, I was firing at the second, and he just blew up. The other Huns then then made for home, but I caught on up and attacked him from the side. My bullets went into his tank, and blew the back of the cockpit to pieces. He went straight down, streaming glycol, and lumps of wreckage blew off him.” —8.0.W. LATER.

It • is now known that three ME 109’s fell to the guns of the Fighter Command flying officer who. as already reported, took on four ME 109’s in a battle over the Channel, on Thursday afternoon. One ME was caught by his fire, and crashed. A second blew up. Describing tne tnird combat, the pilot said: “I saw him go down from'll,ooo feet to less than 1000 feet, but I could not wait to seen him go “into the drink.” Later, it was confirmed that this third enemy crashed. —8.0.W. ROTTERDAM _ AND MUENSTER LONDON, July 17 A successful raid was made yesterday afternoon on enemy shipping in the docks at Rotterdam. This attacK was made by a squadron of Blenheims, flying at very low levels. The pilots saw among the smaller ships a great white liner of about 17,000 tons, which was attacked. One pilot describing this attack said that he had to go inj bn his port side, between a wireless aerial on the dock and the ship’s masts. While still at an angle of 45 degrees he threw his bombs, and one at least hit the stern. White smoke came up 200 feet from the resulting explosion. Other ships were also hit and warehouses and stores were damaged. On the way to Rotterdam, as the Blenheim squadron “hedgehopped,” crowds of people waved to and cheered the bombers. Photographs shown in London prove that important military damage was inflicted after the first of the recent severe raids on Muenster—described by the Germans as “an unhappy cathedral city with no war in - dustries.” In point of fact. Muenster has an aerodrome of considerable'size and operational importance, and this was heavily attacked. Many craters were left in the airfield and the aerodrome buildings were destroyed. The barracks was seriously damaged. Muenster has also an important railway junction for east and west traffic, and this was also heavily attacked. NEW ZEALANDER’S SUCCESS RUGBY, July 17. The Air Ministry News Service de•scribesxan attack by enemy bombers

on a convoy off the south coast. The bombers were routed by British fighters before they could do any damage. One Dornier was shot down by a New Zealand pilot of a Spitfire, another was chased away, a third was damaged, and a fourth probably destroyed bv a Free French pilot. The New Zealander was nearly blinded by on which flew from the Dornier. A Beaufort aircraft of the Coastal Command yesterday morning attacked an enemy supply ship of about 35u0 tons off the north-west coast of 'France. A salvo of bombs was dropped and hits were seen on the stern of the ship. The ship, which was cleverly camouflaged, was accompanied by a small escort vessel. The pilot of the Coastal Command aircraft was in an ideal position to attack from the sun, and at once went down in a dive of several thousand feet. Towards the end of the dive, the crew of the bomber could see swastikas painted on the ship’s hatches. A few hundred feet above the vessel the pilot released a salvo of bombs and pulled out of the dive. . “The supply ship,” said the pilot, “did not have a chance to fire a single shot at us, although we could see a gun on her stern. The escort ship opened up directly she realised we were attacking, and gave us everything she had, but it was too late and we were soon well on the way home.” RAIDS ON BRITAIN. RUGBY, July 17. Enemy attacks on Britain last night were again on a small scale. Bombs were dropped at a few points in the east and south-east. There was no extensive damage, and the number oi casualties was small. _ An official communique says that a few enemy aircraft operated over British coasts in daylight yesterday, but none was flown inland. There were no reports of any bombs being dropped. An enemy bomber was shot down in the morning off the coast, by British fighters. . Air raid casualties in Britain between January 1 and June 6 totalled 41,900 killed and 52,600 injured. GERMAN CLAIMS (Rec. 11.45 a.m. LONDON, July 17. A German communique claims that the Luftwaffe last night bombed aerodromes in the Midlands, and caused large fires and explosions in hangars and barracks.