Heaviest and Most Devastating in History

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 56, 8 March 1943, Page 5

Heaviest and Most Devastating in History

R.A.F. Rains Death and Destruction on Essen (By Telegraph—-Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m, LONDON, Mar. 7. Over 150 bombs of 40001 b calibre as well as a heavy tonnage of other high explosives and thousands of incendiaries were dropped on Essen, the home ot Krupps armaments works within 40 minutes in a heavy concentrated attack on Friday night which cost the R.A.F. fourteen bombers. Half-way through the raid, there was a violent explosion which left a huge orange cloud hanging in the sky lor some minutes. Dense clouds of smoke rose to a height estimated at 15,000 feet. The returning airmen could still Bee the fires from the Dutch coast. The Essen air raid is described in the Sunday Express as the heaviest and most devastating in history. It is estimated that three tons of high explosives and incendiaries crashed down every four seconds which weight of attack no town had previously suffered.

What it meant in casualties can be measured from the fact that the Germans now admit that the latest raid on Berlin when the weight of bombs was less than dropped on Essen caused 486 deaths and 377 seriously injured. A reporter, who visited a Lancaster bomber base, declares that veteran air crews agree that the raid was the greatest ever. A station commander said: 4 ‘I have never seen the crews come back looking so cheerful." The commander of a Lancaster squadron said the losses were incredibly small for the results achieved.

Flying Fortresses this afternoon heavily raided Lorient. They hit the railway bridge leading to tbe city and left the naval powerhouse ablaze. Liberators escorted by R.A.F. and Allied fighters heavily bombed the Brest docks. Three bombers and two fighters are missing from the two raids. The Berlin radio says German longrange bombers attacked an Allied convoy in the Atlantic hitting and setting on fire three ships. A tacit admission that the aerial balance has been tilted in the Allies’ favour was made by the Luftwaffe spokesman, General von Quade, broadcasting over the Berlin radio. He admitted that the Russians were continually intervening with strong and almost always superior aerial forces. Squadrons oi armoured battleplanes, protected by whole wings of fighters, attacked in successive waves forcing a way for tho advancing infantry. There was also both day and night raiding of German aerodromes and supply routes leaving out nothing to secure a decisive victory which, however, the Luftwaffe prevented. He added that the Luftwaffe was the Wehrmacht’s operational reserve, it was independent of railways and roads. It alone nearly always reached its goal. Transport planes were most effective in bringing relief to the ground forces. A Stockholm message says it is reported from Berlin that the Air Ministry building was seriously damaged during the R.A.F.’s raid on Monday last.

Mr. H. P. Mitchell, M.P., in a speech said it was unfortunate that Britain, which builds the best bombers in the world, should have agreed with America that during the war, America should concentrate on heavier aircraft while Britain concentrated on fighters. “The results of such an agreement must be obvious to everyone. At tne end of the war, we will find ourselves with an enormous fighter fleet which will be completely useless, while the Americans will have a large number oi transport planes which will be of vital importance to them in achieving a predominant place in civil flying. “However generously America may continue to help us with their magnificent machines, I cannot believe we can plan our own commercial air fleet of the future on a sound basis unless we build transport machines ourselves. * ’ General Eaker (U.S. Air Chief in Britain), speaking at the Bermondsey (London) “Wings for Victory” campaign said:' “Your target of twenty Flying Fortresses as your quota in the national drive is a sacred challenge to us who fly. These wings are the avengers of the pain and suffering that was yours in the great London blitz." The R.A.F. is already approaching the goal of a thousand bombs for every Hun bomb. The American bombing effort has still a long way to go to match the R.A.F.’s wonderful achievement, but he confidently expected that the American bomber effort in England would grow from its present token size to full equality and partnership with the R.A.F.