RUHR DAMS BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 May 1943, Page 5

RUHR DAMS BOMBED

RAF.’s BRILLIANT EXPLOIT LARGE AREA~FLOODED “No More Sensational Feat”

RUGBY, May 17

An Air Ministry communique states: In the early hours, of this morning, a force of Lancaster bombers, led by Wing Commander G. P. Gibson D. 5.0., D.F.C., attacked with mines the dams at Mohne and Sorpe reservoirs. These control two-thirds of the water storage capacity of the Ruhr Basin. A reconnaissance later established that the Mohne Dam had been breached over a length ot one hundred yards, and the power station below was swept away by the resulting floods. , The Eder Dam which controls the headwaters of the Weser and Fulda Valleys, and operates several power stations was also attacked, and ic ported breached. Photographs show the river below the dam is in lull fl °The attacks were pressed home from a very low level and with gieat determination and coolness in the face of fierce resistance. Eight Leancasters are missing. . , Photographic reconnaissance, late this morning, showed that several bridges were washed away in . the Tinner Ruhr and floods were rising Ke Dortmund area. The Mohne joins the Ruhr above the industrial area near Soest in Westphalia. It is the biggest source of water supply for industrial and domestic purposes in the Ruhr. It also supplies many large factories with electricity. 11 Eder Dam is near Hcnturth, two miles south of Waldeck, and is used to regulate the water level ol the River Weser. It is tje ingest re servoir in Germany. Both the Soest mid Henfurth are near the uppei reaches of the Ruhr. ,

SECRET PREPARATIONS

RUGBY, May 17. A thirty-foot wave is rush, mg through the valley, a jet ol wa.c-i a thousand feet high, and a new sevenmile stretch of water were some ol the extraordinary sights seen by pilots of the Lancasters which early to-day carried out their devas.anng raid on the great dams of the Ruhl Valley. 4 For many weeks picked Lancaster crews have been training for the operation. They worked in complete secrecy on a bomber station as lai as possible cut off from contact with the outside world. Only about mdi-a-dozen other men in the whole Bomber Command knew ol what they were doing. , Early this morning wnen the weather and light were exactly right, they carried out the operation, the purpose of was to subject the whole of the Ruhr Valley ,o almost as severe an ordeal as it has undergone by fire in the last three months, and>do the same for another industrial area, further east. Tnese picked men knew how much depended on the success or failure' of the opportunity that might never come again. It. was an opportunity to do as much damage as could be done by thousands of tons of bombs dropped on many nights running.

“A MAJOR VICTORY.”

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 17. The breach made by Lancasters in the German dams was mentioned by the Air Secretary at the Norwegian National Day celebrations in London to-day. He said: “The operation was one of extraordinary difficulty and hazards. Eight Lancasters were lost with their precious crews, but Wing Commander Gibson, who was in command of the aircraft engaged in the operation, pressed home the attack against strong ..defences and regardless of danger." It was later learned that Wing Commander Gibson returned safely. Later partial reconnaissance of the Ruhr Valley and the district near the Eder Darn' shows that the Hoods caused by the Lancasters’ attack on the three Dams arc spreading fast and that the waters are sweeping down the Ruhr Valley. Railway and road bridges have been broken down, hydro-electric power stations destroyed or damaged, and a railway marshalling yard is under water. Floods from the breach in the Eder Dam are already as great as the floods in the Ruhr Valley, but the country here is flatter and the water is likely to spread over a greater area. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, Commander-in-Chief, Bomber Command, sent a message to the officer in command of the bomber group to which the luancasters are attached. He said: “Please convey to all concerned my warmest congratulations on the brilliantly successful execution of last night’s operations. To the air crews, I -would say their thoroughness in training and their skill and determination in pressing home the attacks will forever be an inspiration to the R.A.F. In this memorable operation they won a major victory in the battle of the Ruhr, the effects of which will lasi until the Boche is swept away in the flood of final disaster.’

SHATTERING BLOW.

TRANSPORT SYSTEM RUINED

Rec. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 17. Millions of tons of water are swirling down the Ruhr Valleys, sweeping away bridges and flooding vital areas after the R.A.F.’s attack against the Mohne and Eder dams, which the “Telegraph” describes as the most devastating blow of the war against German industry. The dams impounded 336 million tons of water, a great part of which is _ raging through one of the world's most densely industrialised areas, forming the heart of the German war machine. The effect of this shatteringblow may be evident throughout the war; indeed for years after it. The dams controlled rivers which normally are liable to flood wide areas, and supplied water for great industrial and human concentrations which are likely to face an acute water shortage.’ They also controlled the level vital canal system, which may not be entirely disrupted. This canal system links west Germany and the Ruhr, north Germany, Berlin and the Baltic, and relieved the railway and road transport systems of an enormous tonnage of heavy materials. The importance that the Germans attached to the dams was shown by the extreme concentration of the defences encountered. Guy Bettany, formerly Reuter’s correspondent in Berlin, says: A famous German Jewish medical specialist, exiled from Germany, pointed out to me that the Mohne-Eder Dams were key factors in the German war potential and asked why they had not been bombed first. I was so impressed that several months ago I passed on the information to the Air Ministry, and received a letter of thanks, saying- the suggestion would be carefully considered. Reuter’s aeronautical writer says: Mines used against the massive concrete dams had to be swirled against the sluice gates. Rarely has such a terrific explosive charge been dropped. The use of mines is evidence

of the ingenuity of those who planned the attack. Every participant was selected for ability and previous experience in mine dropping. No more sensational feat has been accomplished in this or any othei war than the destruction ol Germany’s two biggest dams, says the “Mail,” in an editorial. The loss of eight Lancasters, with their crews, il grievous, is but small indeed compared with the expenditure of time, life, and energy required to secure comparable results by any . othei means. This is the air war which the Germans held for so long as a threat over the world. It is tne mighty weapon they unleashed against undefended cities, and which is now beating on their own heads. The “Express,” in a leaden says: Germany dispersed and leap-frogged some industries beyond the present effective bombing range, but the Ruhr dams are targets she cannot move, Neither are the Ruhr coal and ore mines, or the giant factories of Essen, or the marshalling yards and wharves at Duisburg. There are targets that Germany is now defending witn 3000 guns and close on 1,000,000 trained men.

GERMAN VERSION

The waters released by the R A.E must run their course, says the “Mail’s” aviation correspondent. Immediately in the path is Dortmund, a city of 543,000 people. Ten nd.les beyond Dortmund is Bochum. Seven miles beyond that is Essen., d u quite impossible to predict where the damage will end, but this much is certain, never before has such a olow been dealt from the air. Both dams were full with winter and Spring rains. Even if repaired within a few months —if that were possible.—there would not be enough water to bring them into use again until next Spring. A G.-rman High Command communique states: A weak British air force, las 4 ' night, dropped high explosives in some places on German territory and damaged two dams. The ensuing floods caused heavy pivilian casualties.

OTHER RAIDS ON GERMANY

LONDON, May 17

An Air Ministry communique says that last night aircraft of the Bomber Command attacked targets in the Ruhr, the Rhineland, and Berlin. Mines were laid in enemy waters. Fighter Command aircraft carried out extensive intruder operations oyer enemy-occupied territory. Nine bombers and one fighter are missing from the night’s operations. The Berlin radio says that the Royal Air Force last night made nuisance raids on northern, central, and western Germany. The population suffered casualties.

The Air Ministry also reports that during extensive operations this morning five enemy aircraft were destroyed by British fighters. BOMBINGS IN FRANCE.

RUGBY, May 17

It is officially announced that large formations of the Bth Air Force bombers made heavy attacks ,on targets in enemy-occupied territory in daylight to-day. The largest attacks were made against the harbour installations at L’Orient and the adjacent U-boat base at Keroman, while the ports and docks of Bordeaux were bombed effectively. The weather was favourable and the crews report very good bombing results on the respective targets. Enemy opposition was varied. Some formations were met. by large numbers of enemy fighters, while others had no encounters. R.A.F., Dominion, and Allied fighters, in supporting operations carried out an offensive sweep over Cherbourg Peninsula late in the afternoon. Four heavy bombers and 10 medium bombers are missing. This afternoon, Typhoon bombers, with an escort of Typhoon fighters, made a successful attack on an enemy airfield at Coxt de Fumes in Belgium. Bombs fell on the runways and buildings. There was no enemy opposition, apart from anti-aircraft fire. All the aircraft returned safely.

FURTHER ENEMY LOSSES

RUGBY. May 17

Seven enemy fighters were destroyed by R.A.F. fighters during offensive operations to-day. Covering an attack on Caen airfield by Ventura bombers, the Spitfire wing of the Fighter Command which at the weekend increased its sector’s score to over 1000 enemy aircraft destroyed, added a further five to this total, losingonly one aircraft in the engagement. In another operation Spitfires destroyed one FW 190. Squadron Leader Charles, a Canadian, who shared with another pilot his sector’s thousandth kill, got one of the seven.

Fighter pilots, on their return, said the bombers did considerable damage at Caen airfield. Hits were seen on buildings and an aircraft nearby was burning.

THREE SHIPS ON FIRE

RUGBY. May 17

This afternoon, Beaufighters of Coastal Command, escorted by lighters. attacked an enemy convoy northbound off the Dutch coast. Two merchant ships were hit with torpdeoes and at least three of the escort vessels were left on fire. None of our aircraft is missing.

PLANES OVER ROME

(Reed. 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 17

A Rome communique says that enemy planes flew over . Rome last night'and dropped bombs in the Ostia region. There was some damage and a few casualties.

RAID ON LONDON

DAMAGE AND CASUALTIES

I LONDON, May 17. London was raided last night by German fighter-bombers which flew at a great height and then swooped ' in, dropping bombs on several districts. There were some fatal casualties. The first alert was sounded ! shortly before midnight, and a second after ‘midnight. The second lasted a considerable period, during which sustained gunfire was heard. In one district the damage included a block of flats shattered and several houses and a private hotel damaged. During the first alert a loud explosion was heard over a wide area. It was not the usual sound of an exploding bomb or gunfire. Inquiries failed to establish the cause. Some casualties vzere caused by high explosives. Rescue workers tunnel- ' ling in the wreckage of three houses i in one London district found the body lof a child, and near it a battered I birdcage containing a canary which was still alive. At least four of the raiders were shot down. Two of them, both Focke Wulfs, were destroyed by night ! fighters. The enemy raiding force

was not large, though the fighterbombers tried to put up an impressive show of retaliation. Other enemy raiders were over parts of south-east England, including Essex., The total number of enemy aircraft in the raids is estimated at not more than 20. The London alert was the longest for more than nine months.

NON-STOP BOMBINGS. •

NEW YORK, May 16. British and American military leaders hope soon to keep the Germans in bomb-shelters every hour of the day? and night said Major-Gen-eral Ralph Royce, commander of the First Air Force. “Germany will feel this conflict to such an extent that it will forever more hesitate to start another war. The United States is preparing heavier blows in all war theatres.” Major-General Royce stated that higheiimbing Zeros are no match for Lightnings in high altitude combat. He revealed that Lightnings in a battle over Tulagi on April 7, drove J 1 Zeros to over 35,000 feet, and when the Zeros stalled the Lightnings destroyed them, and drove the remaining four to 25,000 feet where Navy Wildcats wiped them out.

FORD GLIDERS

LONDON, May 17. Ford-built gliders loaded with jeeps and in two-way radio communication with the towing aeroolanes will be taken into the enemy lines when an invasion starts, says a correspondent of the “Daily Express after a visit to United States headquarters of the Air Support Command. The Ford glider has ai wmg span of 84 feet, is more than 48 feet long, and accommodates 15 fullyequipped soldiers and two pilots, or a jeep and six soldiers. The jeep s twoway radio will guide fighters and bombers during an attack. The Air Support Command was •■'•-itablished a year ago under Briga-dier-General R. C. Candee, who remarked to the correspondnt. “We are planning to from here. '