R.A.F. RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1941, Page 5

R.A.F. RAIDS

ON NORTH SEA COAST Raid on Denmark [British Official Wireless], RUGBY, October 5. It is officially stated that the pilots of Coastal Command Hudsons, making their first raid over enemy- territory on Friday night, bombed from only a few hundred feet to be sure of hitting their targets. which were aerodromes and docks at Aalborg, in northern Denmark. These crews are members of the Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron Some of them, who were framed under the Empire scheme, arrived recently from Canada. The Hudsons cruised for nearly half an hour over the aerodromes before releasing their bombs, which fell on runways and buildings. “It was a perfect set up,' commented one Canadian pilot, ciescribing the bombing conditions. Diving over a dock at Aalborg, which was clearly outlined, in brilliant moonlight, another Hudson unloaded a stick of bombs, which fell near a large gasworks. After the bomb flashes a fierce red glow spread rapidly among the surrounding buildings. Blenheim bombers started fires amnog the docks at Ostend on Friday afternoon. Three British fight--ers were lost ano. one enemy iignter was shot down. Operations by Coastal Command aircraft on Friday included a night attack on enemy aerodromes at Aalborg. in Denmark. At dusk fighters on offensive patrol attacked with cannon and machine-gun fire an enemy aerodromes in northern France. One aircraft of the Coastal Command is missing Aircraft of the Bomber Command on Friday night attacked the docks at Dunkirk, Rotterdam and Antwerp, says an Air Ministry communique. Bombs were also dropped on the docks at Brest. The Stockholm “Social Demokra-, ten” declares that British air attacks lagainst German convoys off the Norwegian coast are so devastating that the Germans have temporarily abandoned coastal shipping north ot Trondheim. German troops who were supposed to embark at Trondheim, and then proceed north, have been sent back to southern Norway by train. Meanwhile, German defence preparations, even in east Norway, are going on at high speed. Railroads and bridges are being mined. Early on Saturday night, a verysmall number of raiders flew over an area on the east coast of England. A few bombs were dropped, with slight damage. One person was injured. The strongly-offensive character of British air operations ovex- both Europe and Africa is reflected in the comparative figures of British ana enemy losses in the week ending at dawn to-day. The losses are as folflows:—

Over Britain —enemy four bombers, R.A.F., no losses. Over Europe, excluding Russia —enemy 11 fighters, R.A.F., 12 fighters, 14 bombers anct four others. In the Middle East—enemy two fighters and two others, R.A F., 13 aircraft. Russia—enemy three, R.A.F., nil. The Navy, meanwhile, announces tHat one enemyplane was destroyed by His Majesty’s ships, on a' date unspecified. When the Europe and Middle East figures are read in conjunction witn the week’s R.A.F. communiques detailing large-scale and successful operations, the damage caused in the latter can be ranged with confidence against the losses sustained by Britain’s ceaseless hammering forces.