R.A.F. RAIDS BERLIN

Grey River Argus, 18 December 1940, Page 5

R.A.F. RAIDS BERLIN

i ON SUNDAY NIGHT Factories and Railways Hit [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, December 16. An Air Ministry communique stated: —“Last night, the R.A.F. attacked a number of important targets in the Berlin area, including railways factories ana public utility services.’Small forces bombed the inland port of Frankfurt-on-Main, and other targets near the city, the Kiel shipyards-, and the port of Bremen.

| In the course of other operations, bombers observed the enemy merchant vessels off the coast of France, and attacked two of them, scoring direct hits on both.

I “From these operations, three 'of our aircraft are missing.” ■ A further Air Ministry bulletin stated heavy bombers were engaged. Right across Germany the sky nad been clear, but when within four miles of Berlin, the pilots came into ! cloud, which thickened as they flew over the city. During these early raids, some of the pilots found what 'they ’were seeking at once, while [others had to find their way to al- | ternative targets. They were tantalised by the bright mobn. which seemed to be waiting to light up the I ground for them, if only the clouds ! would part at the right moment. I The bulletin proceeds: “Despite these obstacles, our pilots recognised 'and attacked several factories and ■ railway targets. At one factory imI mediately the bombs had dropped, there was a blue-green flare, and this was the beginning of a big fire. “The next series of raids began soon after three o’clock in the morning, and this attack lasted well over an hour. The weather was then much better, and though there still were some clouds about, many pilots reported that the visibility was excellent. Power stations, railway junctions, and goods yards were now the chief objectives. A stick of heavy high-explosive bombs fell fair and square in the centre of a rail junction, and immediately started fires, which were still inci easing as our aircraft left. At another junction, whdre some of our heaviest bombs dropped there were bursts all aiong the 'sidings. Great quantities of smoke and debris could be seen flung jup by the explosion of bombs. At one power-station, two large fires i were started. A smaller force of bombers -attacked the west harbour at Frankfurt, where there is a great collection of warehouses, factories, grain elevators and oil plants. This i raid lasted for well over two hours.”' I The first German modest account of the raid, which declared British aircraft reached only the suburbs of Berlin, and dropped a few leaflets, was modified by a later communique, I which added that some top-storey ’fires were caused, and a section of the i "fast metropolitan railway service , was temporarily affected.” t The News Agency at Berlin stated that the R.AI.F. last night hit the underground railway, and also blocks of flats, and caused a number of fires. Two people were killed and five wounded.

SWISS CITY BOMBED ) Several Casualties SIXTEEN BOMBS DROPPED (Received December 18, 12.26 a.m.) BASLE, December 17. Several bomb s were to-day' dropped on Swiss territory. After this, Swiss anti-aircraft guns on the German side of th e . border opened up fire. It is believed that a large squadron of planes was over German territory at the time, and that one plane strayed over to Switzerland. BASLE RAILWAY STATION HIT (Received December 18, 12.25 a.m.) BASLE, December 16. A woman was killed and several people wer e injured in Basle, while two women were killed and one child was injured in the suburb of Binningen, when unidentified , planes dropped sixteen bombs on the citv, damaging its central station, and !1 number of houses. BRITISH REPORT MANY PLANES OVER GERMANY AT TIME (Received December 18, 1.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 17. Th e Basle correspondent of the British Associated Press reports that about sixteen bombs fell. One hit the central railway station. Another hit an adjoining square, damaging a number of houses. There was a large squadron of planes over Germany at the time. German aircraft guns on the frontier were violently in action. BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT RAIDERS ATTACK MANNEHEIM (Received December 18, 1.22 a.m.) LONDON, December 17 It is officially stated here that o heavy attack on Manneheim was the: main feature of British bomber tivity on Monday night." The attack began at 8 p.m. and' lasted till the early hours of Tuesday morning. Many important targets were leftflaming. Swiss Official Report INQUIRY BEGUM (Received December 18, 1.20 a.m.) BERNE, December 17. A Swiss Army communique reports that foreign p’anes dropped several) bombs on Basle on Tuesday night. The bomb s fell mostly in the area of the goods station. Several bombs fell in a nearby suburb. Four persons are known <o have been killedSeveral were wounded. Important material dama'-- was Paused. An inquiry is proceeding concerning th e origin of the bombs.