TRAIL OF HAVOC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 263, 4 October 1940, Page 7

TRAIL OF HAVOC

R.A.F.’S NIGHTLY SWEEP.

AMAZING PERFORMANCE

(United Press Association —Copyright.)

(Britisli Official Wireless.) (Rec. 9.10 a.in.) RUGBY, Oct. 3. Thick cloud and poor visibility hampered . the operations of R.A.P. bombers last niglit, states an Air Ministry communique. Nevertheless strong l forces of aircraft continued their attacks on military objectives in Germany and enemy-occupied territory.

Among the targets were the oil plants at Stettin, Hamburg and Bottrop, Krupp’s works at Essen, the goods yards at Cologne, the railway junction near Hamm, and several enemy aerodromes. The docks at Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven and the ports and shipping at Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Flushing, Ostend, Calais, Cherbourg and Ushant were also bombed. Blenheims of the Coastal Command yesterday destroyed a bomber which unsuccessfully attacked one of our convoys. A Hudson last night shot down a bomber at sea. Two of ours have not returned. CONTINUOUS EXPLOSIONS. A Berlin message says the sirens aroused Berliners from their sleep early this morning. They were forced to remain in the skelters for 72 minutes. The raiders concentrated on the north-west industrial area, where the explosions were continuous. Amsterdam reports that 17 were killed and 20 injured in an air raid on Haarlem. Oil storage plants, dock installations and enemy-occupied aerodromes were the chief objectives in last night s widespread raids by aircraft of the R.A.F. Bomber Command. Bad weather over the greater part of the operations area, with a fully overcast sky and cloud layer which extended from 6000 ft to 1500 ft over the Dutch and Belgian coasts, severely hindered the raiders, who had also to contend with ice-forming conditions at low levels. The night’s heaviest attack was launched against Hamburg, where a large oil factory storage plant was subjected to nearly two hours’ intensive bombardment by relays of heavy bombers. Opening the attack shortly alter 10 p.m., the first raider scored direct hits on the target and started' four separate fires, which soon spread and merged into one great blaze. High-explosives from the following aircraft struck the oil storage plant and a salvo which fell in the centre of the target area caused a violent explosion and an uprush of flames which gave off clouds of thick black smoke.Gaining a firm hold and growing in intensity, this fire was seen by later arrivals as they approached the target from 50 miles out to sea. Helped by the_ light of the fire, a second wave of aircraft unloaded their bombs on the oil plant and started a second great blaze. Both fires were still burning and sending great clouds of black smoke billowing across the River Elbe as the last of the attacking force turned for home. HARBOURS BOMBED. Other night bombing forces, concentrating on docks and harbours in Germany and enemy-occupied territories, raided Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven, Stettin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Flushing, Ostend, and Ymuiden. Fires were started near the shipbuilding yards at Hamburg, and at Antwerp sticks of high-explosives were seen to burst across the quay wall and aiong one side of the dock basin. The naval dockyard at Wilhelmshaven was subjected to a series of attacks lasting nearly an hour. Another raiding force which penetrated deep into Germany’s Baltic coast attacked the harbour works near Stettin. Other raiders bombed Krupp’s armament factory at Essen, where a vivid explosion broke out after the bombing.

The attacks on aerodromes were widespread, a total of 13 being bombed in the night’s operations.

NORTH SEA DUELS

Describing the recent air duels over the North Sea, the Air Ministry News Service says a Heinkel 115, a float plane, dived out of dense cloud over the North Sea and dropped two bombs —towards a convoy —-but both bombs missed. Believing he had the sky to himself, the German pilot made ready for a second attack, but a lighter ot the Coastal Command escorting the convoy swooped through the cloud bank and, with two machine-gun bursts, set the enemy afire. The Heinkel’s tanks blew up —drenching the nose of tho Blenheim with oil. Near sea-level the floaLplane broke into pieces. Because the windows of the British fighter were so thickly coated with the enemy’s oil, the pilot and navigator had a difficult journey hack, but made a safe landing. Another incident occurred when, while on night patrol off the East Anglian coast, a Hudson Coastal Com mand intercepted two Heinkel bombers. The Hudson singled out one Hein, kel for attack, manoeuvring so that both the front and rear guns could be used alternately. A .German was destroyed. The other Heinkel fired a short, ineffective burst at long range and then made off.