TERRIFIC BLOWS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 300, 18 November 1940, Page 7

TERRIFIC BLOWS

HAMBURG’S EARLIER TASTE UNPRECEDENTED SCALE. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, Nov. 16. Tfie Erencli newspaper L’Action Erancaise says tfiat Royal Air Force attacks on Le Havre have caused a re-evacuation of tlie city. Bombers last night directly hit an ammunition train, and the resultant explosion destroyed 500 houses.

The newspaper adds that oil refineries and tanks have been wiped out, all terries between Le Havre and llouen have been sunk, and shipyards and factories have been forced to close down.

A communique by the British Air Ministry describes in detail successful extensive operations undertaken yesterday and last night by the Coastal and Bomber Commands, from which only two aircraft have not returned: Hamburg provided the most important targets of the night, from very satisfactory operations against which all the aircrait engaged returned safely. The communique says : “Large-scale operations were carried out last night by a squadron of the R.A.F. Bomber Command against railway communications, shipyards, docks and public utility services in Hamburg. In the docks and railway areas many explosions and fires were caused. One large building after being bombed was seen to blow up and is beiieved to have been destroyed completely. “The Rhenauia Ossag oil refinery and the Blohm and Voss shipbuilding yards were the centres of heavy attacks, as a result of which many fires were observed. Away from the docks and on the north side of the city, gasworks were bombed with excellent results, and a successful attack was. made against an electrical power station in the Altona district as well as against other objectives in the city. Many fires resulted. “Other aircraft raided tfie Kiel dockyard and also Ostend and Calais. In the course of the operations one of our bombers was shot down by an< intercepting Messerschmitt 109. “Aircraft of the Coastal Command were active yesterday during the day and night, and made many attacks, ranging from Norway to occupied France. Military stores and buildings in Rennes were successfully attacked and also several aerodromes. A Heinkel floatplane on patrol was destroyed in combat by a Coastal Command plane. ’’ WIDESPREAD OBJECTIVES.

The raid on Hamburg Began soon after nightfall and continued till 5-30 a.m. In the words of the Air Ministry New Service, the second largest city of Germany had one of its longest anu heaviest air bombardments, xue Brittish raids on Hamburg hitherto were almost exclusively confined to the docks area, but last night's objectives were more widespread. The first attack began shortly beiore 7 p.in. in the light of a full moon; visibility was excellent and a slight haze which lay over the city did not conceal the great riverside railway sorting yards in the Billwarder and Moorfleth districts, which were repeatedly bombed by relays for nearly two hours. Attacking singly from different directions and varying heights, the raiders planted sticks of high-explosive bombs, including a number of the heaviest calibre, in all parts of the great railway yards and across a nearby dock entrance. Warehouses and sheds were hit, and one building appeared to blow One raider reported a terrific explosion midway through the attack, and of many fires which were set raging one great blaze could be seen from 49 miles away. The pilot of one airciatt saw one of his heaviest bombs score a direct hit on a long building in the railway yards. , At 9 p.m., within three minutes ot the departure of the last of this raidino- force, the first aircraft of a second wave of attackers were over Hamburg, and'the city was again echoing the sound of explosions as bombs were rained down on the great Rhenania Ossao- mineral oil refinery at Grasbrook. For the next 50 minutes the oil plant was repeatedly attacked with high-explosive and incendiary bombs. Fires quickly broke out and explosions lit up the refinery buildings, and as the raid reached its climax fresh fares merged with those already burning to form one great blaze from which the flame and smoke rose high in the sky. Two sticks of bombs which overshotthe refinery were seen to hurst on a liearbv railway station and buildings on the north bank of the riverbombs on shipyards.

While this attack was in progress another strong force was concentrating in the Blolun-Voss ampyarus, wiiert, naval vessels were known to he under construction. Bombs were seen to strike the centre of the targets and also burst on an adjacent railway track. One pilot halfway through the attack counted 12 separate explosions on the target caused by bombs from another aircraft, and great fires which started were still burning furiously when the raiders left.

For a few hours the city was left in peace, and then, shortly after 3 a.m., when the night’s alarm seemed at an end, the second phase of the attack began and the bombing continued with unabated vigour for a further two and a half nours.

In perfect visibility the important electric power station at Altona was located and heavily attacked out ot the cloudless sky. Heavy-calibre bombs were seen to burst on and round the power station buildings, and fires quickly followed. In another part of the city tiie Barbeck gasworks were subjected to 50 niuiutes attack, d urine* which sticks of higli-explosives repeatedly fell across the target. One huge fire was seen to break out three minutes after a bomb of the heaviest calibre struck the gasworks, and at 5.20 a.m., as the last aircraft left the battered target, the blaze was still spreading. . . c Hamburg’s powerful ground detences were in action constantly throughout the night and a heavy barrage of fire from light and heavy-calibre guns "rooted eacli sortie but could not prevent the raiders from pressing home their attacks. Fighter opposition was also encountered and a Messerschmitt 109 was shot down seven miles east of Bremerliaven. A supplemental Air Ministry bulletin says that aerodromes were attacked at Stavanger, Doullens. Cambrai and St. Malo. Swordfish bombers of the Fleet Air Arm took part in the raids nlono- with Hudsons, Blenheims and Beauforts. At Stavanger large fires were started probably among aircraft

and explosions were observed among the flames. Substantial results were obtained on the French aerodromes, where buildings were hit and set on fire and damage was caused to landing grounds At Rennes an arsenal was left blazing