HEAVY TOLL TAKEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20275, 17 June 1940, Page 9

HEAVY TOLL TAKEN

AERIAL RAIDERS BRITISH AND FRENCH HARRYING GERMANS BOMBING OF DEPOTS ROADS AND RAILWAYS (Elec. Tol. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, June 15. A communique issued by the Air Ministry states that bombers of the Royal Air Force were actively engaged in support of the Allied forces over the fighting zones south of the Seine on Friday. Other machines attacked and severely damaged a concentration of enemy aircraft on the Merville aerodrome, near Neuve Chapelle. Four British bombers have not returned. “During the night our bombers renewed their attacks in Germany,” the communique proceeds. “A military attack was made on heavy concentrations of troops and material in the State of Baden. Two of our aircraft are missing. “Early this morning Coastal Command aircraft destroyed large supplies of ammunition on the quay at Bergen and returned safely. This was another of the many recent attacks on German supply ships in the Bergen harbour-. Direct hits were scored on docks, jetties and warehouses by the quayside. The anti-aircraft fire was continuous, but before they left the British pilots flew low and heavily machined-gunned the Nazi gun emplacements. “Military objectives in southern Germany and the Ruhr were simultaneously attacked in Friday night’s series of long-distance raids which were carried out by heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force. Southern Germany

“The raids on southern Germany began shortly after midnight and lasted nearly two hours. Low cloud sometimes hampered the visibility, forcing the aircraft to come low to identify their exact position. The anti-aircraft fire was heavy and well aimed. Heavy explosions were seen to follow some of the bomb bursts and one crew reported that they continued for nearly five minutes after their attack. Another crew reported seeing two vivid flashes, blinding in their intensity, a full minute after the bombs had struck the target. At Duren, Rheydt and Essen crowded marshalling yards and railway junctions were attacked with high explosive and incendiary bombs and large fires were started in the railway warehouses at Duren. “A terrific explosion followed a hit on a blast furnace near Essen. High explosives were dropped on the marshalling yards near Cologne where a rge oil-fed fire was seen to break out. At Bonn, 15 miles to the south, several (ires, were started in an attack on the main railway line. Stationary Train Hit “A stationary train in the main station at Rheims was bombed from a low height and several direct hits were registered. Another aircraft, following an hour later, machine-gun-ned troops marching through the city. “At Soissons road and railway bridges were repeatedly attacked. Some of them were destroyed. At Chateau Thierry a huge explosion followed a direct hit on a railway junction. At Laon another railway junction and nearby warehouses were extensively damaged. “During the night oil tanks at Dunkirk were set on fire and at Flushing and Ostend other aircraft made a lowlevel attack on aerodromes, inflicting further damage.” The French Air Ministry’s communique states: “The air force continues energetic action in co-operation with the land troops. Our heavy and light bombers raided the enemy’s rear lines, causing much destruction and disorganising marching columns. “Our fighters have been particularly active in dispersing German bomber formations. Numerous German planes were brought down.”