RAIDS ON GERMANY

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1941, Page 5

RAIDS ON GERMANY

COLOGNE’S DAYLIGHT VISIT

FRENCH-DUTCH ’DROMES / RUGBY, August 12. An Air Ministry communique states: In spite of bad weather, bombers last night attacked objectives at Krefeld, Rheydt and Munich-Glad-bach areas of west Germany. The Rottendam docks were also bombed. The Fighter Command attacked enemy aerodromes in northern France and the Low Countries during the night. None of our aircraft is missing. The attacks on 'the areodromes in northern France and Holland last night, were carried out by the American built Havoc fighters. Both buildings and runways were bombed. At one aerodrome in France, a large fire was started, which was later bombed by another crew resulting in two more fierce fires. They also started one at a Dutch aerodrome. Cologne was attacked in daylight this morning, by R.A.F. bombers.— 8.0.W. BRITAIN LOSES 20 PLANES. RUGBY, August 12. An Air Ministry communique states: Six squadrons of Blenheims of the Bomber Command penetrated into the Rhineland, this morning, to attack the great Cologne power-sta-tions at Quadrath and Knapsack. Fighters accompanied the bombers as far as Antwerp, and the bombers then went on alone. The bombers often flew at less than 100 feet on their 150 miles penetration of the German < defence system. Both power-stations were attacked at 11.30 a.m. at point-blank range. A great number of bombs scored direct hits, and the targets were left in flames. Fighters met the returning bombers at Antwerp, covering their withdrawal across the North Sea, whilst another strong force of fighters patrolled the Dutch coast, in support. About the same time, Hampden bombers, with a fighter escort, attacked railways near St. Omer, and the power-station at Gosnay. Three enemy fighters were destroyed by the escorts. Fortress aircraft attacked the aerodrome at De Kooy and objectives at Cologne and Emden. Our losses in all these operations were 12 Blenheims and eight fighters. —8.0.W. NO BOMBS ON BRITAIN. LONDON, August 12. While the Royal Air Force bombed targets in Western Germany last night, only one enemy aeroplane flew a short distance inland over Britain. It crossed over the south-west coast but no bombs were dropped. There was nothing to report, about enemy activity over Britain m daylight A Canadian anti-aircraft unit which has just arrived in England has shot down its first German raider at night over the coast. Members of this force were a short time ago lumbermen and meat packers m Canada. RUGBY, August 12. An official communique states: No air operations over this country weie reported to-day.—■EhO.W. LEGLESS PILOT MISSING RUGBY, August 12. Wing Commander D. R. Bader, the legless R.A.F. pilot, is reported missmßader, who has the D.S.O. with bar and the D.F.C. with bar, lost both legs, in a flying accident while serving wit h the R A.F. in 1931, but he contrived to re-enter the service at the outbreak of the war, and made many daring raids. —8.0.W. (Rec. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. Bader participated in a fightei sweep over France. Soon after crossing the French coast, he and another tltot dived into a swarm of Messerschmitts, whereupon a fast and furious fight ensued. Bader was absent when the planes returned. It is believed that he baled out, and was probably taken prisoner.—U.P.A. POLISH SQUADRON RUGBY, August 12. • Last month, one Polish squadron with the R.A.F. destroyed twenty Messerschmitts over northern France and the Channel. The Poles with the Fighter Command, shot down five hundred German aircraft in Poland, when then country was invaded. They have already destroyed half this number from bases in Britain. The squadrons are now officered by Poles, and were led across the Channel by a Polish Wing Commander. —8.0.W.

NEW U.S.A. BASES. WASHINGTON, August 12. The Army plans to spend 5,498,00 U dollars on two. huge air-bases at Presque Isle and Houlton (Maine), as departure points for ferrying bombers to Britain. —U.P.A. RUSSIAN APPRECIATION. RUGBY, August 12. Stressing Germany’s failure to overcome Britain by bombing, a writer in “Pravda” states: In the course of the war, unprepared England has created an enormous military machine of more than 4,000,000 men The remorseless bombing pi London and other cities, calculated io terrorise the population, had precisely the opposite results, while the world sees every reason to expect very soon even more important and more successful blows against Germany by the British Air Force, which will at the same time, be capable oi supporting land operations against the Reich. Furthermore, the British Navy and merchant fleet have proved capable of ensuring a constant supply of oil and war' materials for England, as well as to her armies m Africa and Asia, while the German Navy is chased from the surface of all the world’s oceans. —8.0.W. AUSTRALIAN BOMBER. (Rec. 2 p.m.) BRISBANE, Aug. 13. Breaking all previous flight records in Australia, the first Bristol Beaufort torpedo-bomber assembled m the Commonwealth yesteray flew from Melbourne to Brisbane in three hours 12 minutes, an average speed for the 850-miles trip of 270 miles per hour. Many more Beauforts are in course of assembly in Australia, most oi which are in the final stage.