R.A.F. OFFENSIVE

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1943, Page 5

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE

RAIDS ON EUROPE Occupied Countries ATTACK ON BERLIN REPORTED. [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 1.10.) LONDON, May 20. Enemy airfields, railways, locomotives, and barges in occupied territories were bombed and strafed last night, states the Air Ministry News Service. Whirlwinds attacked Poix airfield, hit a flarepath and fired on ■R plane which was taking off. They also attacked Amien’s and Glisy airfield, which was bombed from' a few hundred feet. One Whirlwind dropped a load on Crecypentheus airfield. Mosquitoes tackled barges in .the Ghent area. One Mosquito shot up a factory beside the Tangerrugge Canal. A Typhoon attacked five barges on the Lys River. A large explosion occurred, the debris risingtwo hundred feet. One Beaufighter damaged three trains in North France. i A further Air Ministry communique says: Mosquitoes last night attacked targets in; Berlin. FURTHER RECONNAISSANCE. " RUGBY, May 19. Reconnaissance aircraft were again out over the Ruhr to-day, to photograph the river swollen by the water released’through the breaching of tne Mohne Dam. Photographs showed that the flooding extended to a point some 60 miles from the reservoir oeyond Schwerte, ’the last point where flooding has occurred, A railway embankment has been badly damaged. The swollen river has taken away one of the supports of the Hardecke railway viaduct and the railway lines are suspended precariously over the gap. The viaduct was on the direct route from Dortmund to Hagan and Deutchlorf. The- floods swept over the great Bahlhausen marshalling yards, the ninth largest in the Ruhr. This is about 20 miles from Schwerte. Nearly all the filter beds along the banks of this stretch have been flooded.

Anger Against Jews CORRESPONDENT’S CLAIM, DENIED. LONDON, May 19. The report that the iuea oi blasting the uams came from a German Jewish refugee has flung the German authorities into a state of extreme anger. The full flood of German propaganda has been directed against the Jews. German broadcasts are full of renewed threats against the Jews throughout Europe. Quoting the Stockholm opinion that the revelation of mining or the dams was inspired by Jews, was a’ mistake of the first magnitude. The Berlin radio added: As a result of this, hatred of Jews has greatly increased throughout Germany, and they would be made to pay for this latest crime. Official circles in London however, describe the suggestion that a German Jewish refugee inspired the raid as nonsense. “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent says, according to the Tidnmgen’s Berlin correspondent, Jews in Germany and occupied territorycalled the curse of heaven against the person thoughtlessly revealing a 1 Jew as the instigator of the dam raid. The Associated Press says that while a German broadcaster was attempting to-day, to minimise the destruction caused by the mining of the dams, the ehost voice interrupted and shouted: “That doesn’t hide from the world the havoc caused by the floods the British and American bombers created in the heart of the Ruhr.''

Karamea Officer’s Story DESCRIPTION OF RAID. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, May 19. In the third Lancaster which bombed the Mohne Dam, was Flying Officer- Len Chambers of Karamea. He is a wireless operator, and stood in the astrodrome from where he saw all the bombing. His Lancaster, in which were five Australians and one Englishman, flew round the target for an hour, and observed the effects of the flood as it swept down the valley. It was Chambers’ .first raid in this second tour operations, the first tour being with Seventy-five (New Zealand) Squadron. Chambers said: “We had been training for this trip for six weeks. It was a beautifully clear night when we took off. It was so clear that as we flew low over the North Sea, we were able to keep perfect formation, which was maintained until over Hamo, where flak caused us to take evasive .action. We were so near the target that we did not bother to reform. I went towards the astrodrome and saw Wing Commander G. P. Gibson go in first to bomb. I saw a terrific splash then an explosion. There was no apparent breach in the dam after we had bombed, but after' the fourth bomber dropped the eggs, the dam broke. I watched the water pouring out. It looked rather shallow at the time, but must have been of terrific force as the power house just melted away. There were six guns firing at us but not very effectively, and it seemed the gunners lacked practice. All the same, our starboard wing and starboard petrol tank were hit, just •as we bombed, but without serious effect. After the bombing we flew around with Gibson to draw guns ' first. Our airgunners replied, and when we left only one gun was still firing. Once we flew within half a mile of the guns. They paid us some attention until the next bomber went

in to bomb, when they diverted the fire to it. After a while we flew down the valley. We could see the water gradually rising. It looked slow to us but must have been flowing swiftly, because I saw a bridge wiped .away. There was also a village which was being gradually surrounded. We had plenty of time and plenty of petrol, so we stayed around until we got all the informaI tion we could, then set a course for ■ home. “Everything was quiet until we ' were over the Zuyder Zee, when the searchlight focussed us in a cone. Flak was very unfriendly, but the gunners gave them a taste in return. It looked good to see our boys firing back. We had more flak just as we were passing out to sea. and the last thing I saw was a blue searchlight trying to pick us up, but it closed down when the gunners gave it a burst. It was a great trip, and we found Air Marshal Harris and Air Vice-Marshal R. A. Cochrane waiting for us when we got back. Everyone was in tearing spirits.” Chambers has now seven days’ leave, which he will spend in London. Chambers cannot praise Gibson too highly, adding: “He is a great chap. I wish you could meet him.” 'lt is understood that Flight Lieutenant J. L. Munro of Gisborne had bad luck, and did not reach the tar- ' get, but returned safely.

GERMANS ESTIMATE. CASUALTIES. LONDON, May 19. Tire Berlin radio, quoting military circles, announced that casualties from the air attack on the dams so