BOMBS ON BERLIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 238, 5 September 1940, Page 7

BOMBS ON BERLIN

THRILLING ACCOUNT

PILOTS’ PRIDE,

(British Official Wireless.) Received Septemoer 5, 10 a.m. RUGBl 7 , Sept. 4. A tribute to the German black-out was made in London to-day by two R.A.F. officers who have frequently been engaged in bombing expeditions over enemy territory. One of them expressed the view that there “must be a death penalty imposed for showing a light.” A young flight-lieutenant, describing bis first raid on Berlin, said: “It was the greatest thrill of my life.” He spoke of the honour liis crew felt had been paid to it by its selection tor this expedition. "The machine took off almost at dusk oh a clear night and crossed the sea in what daylight was left. We were greeted at three cities with tremendous anti-aircraft fire, but fortunately were not hit, and when about 30 miles from Berlin the barrage was terrific,” he said. “We could see other aircraft who got there before us dropping flares, but the night was so cloudy over the city that I \ was at first unable to locate tlie target. My crew said, ‘You. are not going back without dropping vour bombs. Find that target somehow.’ TARGET HIT. “We came down low and a flare from another aircraft illuminated the target, and we bombed it. Actually only about three bombers found their targets that night, but the next time we went —last I'rida.y —the weather was perfect and, although it was nighttime, we managed to locate nearly everything in Berlin by the reflected glare of the searchlights which were trying to penetrate the slight mist. “The whole of Berlin was clearly outlined. I could see the Unter den. Linden plainly and I also saw .a big sports stadium. Then, marking the target’by means of a lake, I dropped my bombs. I think that on this occasion each of our bombers found tlie target, which was a big works.” The R.A.F. Fighter Command flew a record distance of 4.500,000 miles in August.