NEW FLYING BOMB

Grey River Argus, 10 November 1944, Page 5

NEW FLYING BOMB

50 FEET LONG ROCKET 200 to 300 Mile Range - LONDON ,Nov. 8 " To-day’s German High Command communique announces that V2 has been in use against London for some weeks and claimed it was a far more effective explosive missile than VI. . The second • phase of the great secret weapon, .war which started on June 15, began in a mysterious way last month, said the German Overseas News Agency chiqf correspondent, Georg Schroeder, in ..a special broadcast, 1 to-night,, about V2. “Never before 'have the German military authorities been so reticent about a secret weapon. We can oe sure nothing will be revealed about the technical side of V2. Everybody in Germany to-day is speaking aoou; the new weapon, but nobody knows anything definite ,and no man or women employed in the mass production of the weapon will give away a single word. A great fact of military importance has been revealed to the world —the British hope that the long-range fire against London would cease with the Channel Coast has not been fulfilled. The: German Command has more secret weapons at ns disposal, and revolutionary changes in the technique of long-range waT are not finished.” Berlin radio announcer declared: “British reports have repeatedly emphasised that the new explosive can De neither seen nor heard before tne exceedingly string detonation. Ths British Government has done its utj most to prevent the news of vz spreading, btit* confirmation that particularly violent explosives have been fired against London has readied neutral capitals. The British Government has again postponed the recturn of evacuees to London in face of the new danger. The British Governmet' has also concealed from its own people that a more effective and more dangerous long-rang e weapon has been in action in. addition to tlie flying bomb, of which everybody knows. In the London district exi tremely heavy damage was caused to blocks of houses.' and traffic installations at Camberwell, Mitcham, Sio cup, and Edmonton, and a large railway bridge in South London was completely wrecked. If the German authorities required further proof of the accuracy of V.2, official Bn« tish reports supplied it by announce ing after the., night on which London was exclusively attacked by V2 that flying bombs were over the capital-.” The Berlin radio announcer addeat “V2, together with VI, will henceforth be the medium of Germany's retaliation against England. The Fatherland’s gratitude goes out to the research workers who, despite the air terror, have toiled untiringly and invented, tested and developed the new weapon, and eventually brough-j it into action. Soldiers and scientists using V2 can hit the enemy just when the High Command thinks fit.’’ The announcer added that tne news of V2 would dominate the Berlin morning papers, whereas tnt, United States election would receive tew lines. 1

Reuters’s says: V2 is described in reports from Sweden and other neU; tral countries as a powerful rocket with a range of between 200 and 300 miles, and a warhead comprising a ton. of high explosive'. One or two missiles were found hi Sweden' after being fired across the Baltic from Peenemunde research station. Sweetish reports described V2 aS’ a long, fairly flat rocket with fins like a bomb. Some reports said it was 50ft : long, “like a flying telegraph pole, with a trail of flame at the rear,’’ and faster than sound, so that it hits the objective before it is heard. Bases in Germany, Holland, Denmark anci Norway are claimed as feasible tor attacks against Britain. More Flying Bomb Damage IN SEVERAL PARTS OF ENGLAND. (Rec. 10.40.) LONDON, Nov. 9. Flying bombs on Wednesday night wrecked houses and caused casualties n several parts of southern England. London had a brief alert for the first time since Sunday night. A CALL FOR HITLER. > (Rec. 9.30) LONDON, November 9. • A diplomatic correspondent of the Press Association says: The German propaganda' ; machine. •' probably, has launched the. “V2” drive at this par; ticular time to cloak Hitler’s failure, for the first time for 'years'to speak on the anniversary, of the Munich beer hall putsch on Wednesday, and secondly to bolster .up flagging Ger; man morale at a moment when a new Allied offensive appears immnient. The correspondent says: T'he German News Agency 'has attributed Hitr ler’s failure to come to the microphone to the “mobilisation ban on celebrations of any kind.” Hitler’S last speech was on July 21. A powerful “ghost” voice repeatedly interrupted German radio programmes between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday' night, asking; “Why doesn’t Hitler sneak? Why does' the Fuehrer keep silent? What is th e matter with Hitler?” IS HITLER ILL ? (Rec. 10.45.) LONDON. Nov. 9. A “Times's” diplomatic correspondent savs: “Hitler’s silence sugr gests that there may be some truth in the reports comins from Germany) through trustworthy channels, in the last few days, that nerve specialists lately found him exhausted, and urgently advised a complete _ rest for several weeks and the abolition of all work.” „ (Rec. 12.35.) LONDON, Nov. 9. There .was a brief German press ana radio comment broadcast to-day on the anniversary of the Munich Futsch. It avoided any mention o r Hitler. It concentrated instead on the Bolshevist danger and the Allies failure to clinch the c.ampagn in the West. i A Home Service broadcast warned the German people to concentrate on the present and not tne past. .