RAIDS ON ENEMY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1940, Page 5

RAIDS ON ENEMY

BY THE R.A.F.

ATTACKS IN DENMARK.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, July 9

The detailed Air Ministry account of the R.A.F’s. activities in the past 24 hours, states that enemy shipping off the Danish coast were attacked by Coastal Command aircraft. Two ’planes attacked out of the sun, and dropped a bomb which exploded directly under the bow of the leading minesweeper. The bows were lifted by the explosion. Another Hudson followed up a divebombing attack on an enemy supply ship with machine-gun fire, and the vessel was seen settling down by the stern. A few miles away, a_ third vessel was also attacked by machine-gun fire. After the pilot raked it with his guns, lie saw smoke rising amidships.

Otlier aircraft bombed an, enemy supply ship in the Danish harbour of Aalborg. Aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked and damaged enemy patrol vessels off the Danish coast.

All our aircraft returned safely

IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM. RUGBY, July 9. The Air Ministry reports: Other' bombers, attacked enemy - occupied aerodromes in Belgium and Northern France. At Soissons, heavy bombs were seen bursting among groups of three aircraft standing on the aerodrome, and at Douai,- a salvo of bombs hit several runways.

Our bombers also attacked aerodromes in enemy occupation at Soissons and Douai, and aircraft personnel and transport were damaged.

RAIDS IN GERMANY.

RUGBY, July 9

The Air Ministry reports: Last nighty R..A.F. bombers attacked the naval bases at , Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, where damage was done to the dockyards, and an enemy warship was set on fire.-.

Further damage was done to the oil refineries at Hamburg, and goods yards at .Hamm. - The aerodromes at Waal-liave-n, Amsterdam and Brussels wore also bombed. One of our ’planes is missing.

Two enemy warships, believed to be destroyers or light cruisers, were bombed and set on fire, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

During further raids on German naval bases and dockyards by tho Aircraft Bomber Command, two ships of a group of four were seen at anchor, east of Wilhelmshaven, and though they were practically concealed by mist and protected by land and' sea batteries, the R.A.F. aircraft succeeded in their attack.

v At Kiel, the dockyards and slipways ' were damaged, as well as a crane jetty. One stick of bombs straddled the dock, and started a fire which one pilot could still see after he had been on the homeward course for ten minutes.

TO-DAY’S RAIDS. STAVANGER ATTACKED. . ; • RUGI3Y, July 9. The Air Ministry reports: This morning, a formation of our bombers attacked Bergen, where an ammunition dump was set on lire, and damage was done to a ship and seaplane slipway. Another formation of R.A.F. bombers attacked aircraft lined up on the Sola aerodrome at Stavanger. Our attack was pftissed home iii the lace of strong opposition from enemy fighters and ground defences. One enemy lighter was shot down. Seven of our aircraft failed to return. i ' It is understood that there is no truth in the German claim that 12 Bristol Blenheim bombers were shot down in the r,aid on the Sola aerodrome at Stavanger, this morning. Early on Tuesday morning, Lockheed | Hudsons of the Coastal Command j attacked an ammunition dump near | Bergen, and left it in flames. They also damaged an important bridge. A direct hit was scored on an ammunition dump. The explosion was so heavy that it flung the Hudson about in the air overhead. Other direct hits wrecked the main buildings, in which ammunition was stored, and there was a heavy explosion. Many fires started, which were constantly increased by further explosions amid the flames. Next, the Hudsons turned their attention to the bridge,- and registered hits, causing severe damage. One bomb burst on a concrete slipivay at the 1 water’s edge, and the blast sent a building at the top of the slipway crumbling into ruins. The pilot of one of the bombers which attacked Stavanger <-n Tursdav, reporting on the raid, said that each of the three aircraft in his flight dropped their bombs on the target, and though the anti-aircraft defences were so active that it was not possible to observe the results, thc> flight remained intact. They were later attacked b.v German fighters, and the rear-gunner of the port aircraft was billed and the ’plane was subsequently shot down. The aircraft on the starboard side was also shut down. He then attempted to ioin vip with' another flight of Blenheims, hut his ’plane was too damaged, and he made for homo, and eventually made a forced lauding at a coastal aerodrome. During the action, his air observer shot, down one Messersehmitt, and possibly

damaged several others, while the reargunner damaged another Messer,schmitt. GERMAN REPORT. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright). BERLIN, July 9. Enemy air attacks on July Bth., in Belgium and Holland, were without success. Raids in North-West Germany damaged houses and killed several persons. The, enemy yesterday lost 11 ’planes. Five German ’plant’s are missing. A special communique states: Twelve Blenheims tried to attack the Stavanger aerodrome, this morning. Only a few bombs were dropped, causing slight material damage. All the Eiitish ’planes were brought down. There were no German losses. GERMANS WARNED. BERLIN, July 9. Field-Marshall •Goering warned the German public by radio, to-night, that no air-raid warnings will he given il only a few aeroplanes approach. The object is to prevent the disorganisation of business life as much as possible. FURTHER R.A.F. ATTACKS.

(Received this day at 10.0 a.m.)

LONDON. July Pt

The Air Ministry states that R.A.F. bombers last night attacked naval dockyards at Wilhehnshaven and Bremen, goodsvards in the Ruin, oil refineries at Monlieim. aerodromes at Bor.kum, Texel, Sehiool and Wan 1 - liaveii. Damage was inflicted on all objectives. "I o'»r raiders returned.