Wide Sweep of R.A.F. Raids on Enemy

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 99, 28 April 1941, Page 5

Wide Sweep of R.A.F. Raids on Enemy

Naval Bases and Industrial Centres Hammered 25,000 TONS OF SHIPPING SUNK IN WEEK (British Official Wireless.) Received Sunday, 9.20 p.m. RUGBY, April 26. An Air Ministry communique says: “Kiel was the principal objective of Friday night’s operations of the Bomber Command. Many fires .broke out in the shipyards and dock area. Targets at Berlin, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaveu, Emden, Lubeck and Friedrichstadt were bombed, also oil stores at Rotterdam. “The Bomber Command was also very active yesterday. At Ijmuiden the iron and steel works were successfully attacked. Bombs fell across th#j blast furnaces and factory buildings. The plant which was in full operation when the attack took place was left wrapped in a pall of smoke. Direct hits were made on barges and quayside buildings, in the docks and gun pits. Troops and shipping were machinegunned. On the German island of Baltrum a factory building was bombed and severely damaged. Bombs dropped on the railway between Middelburg and Flushing—on the island of Walcheren—hit the track. Other bombers made attacks over enemy-occupied Denmark, railways aud two wireless stations being bombed. ‘ln addition land attacks and the usual searches for enemy shipping were made. A supply vessel in the canal joining Rotterdam to the North Sea was hit from a height of 24 feet and sunk. Other aircraft discovered three ships iu a convoy heavily escorted some miles west of Heligoland. These were attacked from a very low level and the largest was set on lire and almost certainly destroyed. Another was hit on the stern and severely damaged. The convoy and its escort were also machine-gunned.

“From these day and night operations only two of our planes aro missing. ” R.A.F. fighters on Saturday carried out several offensive patrols over northern France and the Channel. Two of our machines are missing. One enemy fighter was shot down off the southeast coast. Week’s Record of Smashing Blows During tho week ending April 25 heavy R.A.F. raids on Germany and Nazi-con trolled Europe included the big Kiel and Wilhelmshaveu raids on the night of Thursday where docks aud shipyards were heavily bombeu, four raius iu three nights on Brest and attacks ou Cologne, Dusseldorf, Osnabruck, Dunkirk, Osteud, Le Havre and Rotterdam. Tho raid on the Osnabruck power station was especially noteworthy since this was attacked from a low level in daylight and the main building was seeu lo be hit with debris thrown high into the air. Particular siguificance is attached to the Brest raids in view of the continued presence iu this port of the Gneisenau and beharuhorst. Tho award of tne D.F.C. to Pilot Officer Ross and of the D.F.M. to {Sergeant {Street (xs.Z.) revealed that in the earlier raids ou Brest an extremely heavy oom'u dropped trorn 4000 feet scored a direct hit on these vessels. The week was also remarkable for the number of attacks made ou enemy coastal shipping off Norway, the Low Countries and France. Nine vessels were sunk or left sinking, three more probably destroyed after direct hits and many others damaged. The largest of the snips sunk was estimated at a tonnage ox 7000 and the total tonnage of six of those sunk was approximately 27,000, the three others ueing two medium-sized merchant ships aud an escort vessel. Cue ship was attacked from only 50 feet and was hit by four bombs amidships, while five direct hits were scored on another from the same height. From all these extensive operations nineteen British aircraft are missing. Three German aircraft were definitely destroyed and others damaged. Merseyside Again Attacked Tho main Luftwaffe attack last nignt was directed against north-east England, including the Merseyside. A communique states: ‘‘it was sharp and occurred in tho early [art of the night, but ended by midnight. Bombs were dropped at several points and there was some damage and u considerable number of casualties of which, however, only a small number were fatal, borne” bombs were also droppe 1 on tho east and no/th-east coasts oi bcotland and isolated points in east and north-west England. These incidents did not cause any damage or casualties. * * Enemy daylight activity to-day ■was ou a very small scale. Bombs were dropped on towns on the east coast. Several people were injured and a number of houses were damaged but there are no reports of bombs dropped elsewhere. ’ 9