FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 124, 26 April 1941, Page 7

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

AT BREST’ AND OSNABBUCK

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. April 24

j An Air Ministry communique states ! that in daylight yesterday aircraft ol j the Bomber Command. attaching I singly, bombed an important electricity power station at Ibbenburen. near Osnabruck, in- North-West Germany, j There was a violent explosion in the main building and debris was flung high into the air. A wireless station on the Dutch island of Tersehelling was hit. bv other aircraft of the same command, and troops nearby were machine-gunned from a low level. At tacks were also made by Bomber Command aircraft on enemy shipping off the Dutch coast. Three vessels, of which was one was large, were hit and probably destroyed, and others were damaged. From these operations one of our bombers is missing. Last night a determined attack was again made on the battle-cruisers Oneisonnu and Sehnriihorst and the docks at Brest. Many heavy bombs were dropped by a strong force of Bomber Command aircraft. Aircraft, of the Coastal Command also took part in this operation, besides bombing T,e Havre, where they started a number of fires. None of our aircraft is missing from these night operations.The latest list of ILA.F. awards reveals that one of the cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst- has suffered a

direct hit this month and with an extremely heavy bomb. The airman who achieved this and who wins the D.F.C. is 20-year-old Pilot-Officer G. R. Ross, ol the B.A.F.V.R. His rear gunner, a New Zealander. Sergeant K. I. Street, gains the D.F.M. The ei tation •states that they descended in face of intense concentrated anti-aircraft fire and searchlights. Pilot-Officer Ross secured a direct hit on one of the •ships, with an extremely heavy bomb. Sergeant Street coolly directed the machine-gun fire, extinguishing many searchlights and greatly assisting Pilot-Officer Ross during the hazardous attack. Both on all occasions displayed great keenness, courage and determination. Another resolute attack on the same two ships during (lie month gains the D.F.C. for Pilot-Offi-cer R. Wareine. R.A.F.Y.R.. who came down to 100 ft. and made a successful attack on a shin, dronning an extremely lieavv bond), which was

'•eon to burst either on the ship or on the docks.