Rotterdam Oil Tanks, Wharves Burning Fiercely

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1940, Page 6

Rotterdam Oil Tanks, Wharves Burning Fiercely

LONDON. May 26. It is officially stated that aircraft of the Coastal Command reported on Sunday that oil tanks at Rotterdam, which were hit by bombs several days ago, were still burning. Areas which had escaped in the previous attack were bombed, and the aircraft crews, reported a steady increase in the size of the fires. “High up, on our way home, we could see that the whole area was a red, glowing- mass, and the wharves, docks and plant all seemed to be burning as well,” said one pilot. The crew of the last aircraft could still see the fire from 30 miles off the Dutch coast as they flew away in the early dawn. All the aircraft returned safely. Raids on Rhineland. Further official details of Royal Air Force activity during the night of Saturday-Sunday show that another ammunition and petrol dump was blown up by one of the bombers engaged in operations over the Rhineland and in the rear of the battlefields of Belgium and France. 100 miles away from this target another bomber arrived over a bridge just as German troops were crossing. Direct hits were scored with the first salvo of bombs, the bridge almost breaking in two. The pilot then came down low and gave the gunner a chance to disorganise this part of the column which had missed the first assault. 'A third • aircraft successfully attacked another bridge and later did considerable damage to a railway junction. Troop Train Derailed. In the rear of the German army a troop train and a goods train were derailed. The troop train received a direct hit and within a few minutes flames had spread from the engine to the rearguard’s van. The goods train, stationary near a siding, was set on fire by bombs which fell alongside, and fires were also started in the goods yard. In Germany attacks were made on two aerodromes and on a convoy of 12 motor vehicles, which was machinegunned from a height of 100 feet after the rear of the convoy had been thrown into confusion by a direct hit by a heavy bomb.