BERLIN'S WORST BLITZ

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21260, 24 November 1943, Page 3

BERLIN'S WORST BLITZ

BRITISH BOMBERS’ MIGHTY BLOW

2300 TONS SHOWERED ON CAPITAL VAST DESTRUCTION IN CENTRE OF CITY GERMAN DEFENCES CRUSHED BY RAIDERS (By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright.) (10 aim.) LONDON, Nov. '23. Royal Air Force bombers last night carried out the heaviest attack yet made on Berlin. An Air Ministry communique states that the attack was made in very great strength. Preliminary reports show that the bombing was highly effective. A great bomber force dropped over 2300 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs on the capital. This time, the re was no second target. The Lancasters, Stirlings and ITalifaxes all -went to Berlin. After the raid all the crews were confident of the results. None had any doubt that they had won a great victory. They had beaten the night fighter squadrons and also the massed batteries of anti-aircraft guns which served as Berlin’s second line of defence. Their casualties were well below the average even for attacks on much easier targets. .fieriin is being “Hamburged.” That is ,the meaning oi: German reports on the heaviness of the raid last night, says the British United Press aviation correspondent. If the Royal Air Force is able to maintain the rate of attack during the winter, using the large number of planes as at present available, Berlin should be wiped out as an administrative and industrial centre by the spring. It will not be an easy task, but another 20 or 25 raids of the magnitude of last night’s attack should do the job.