Statistics Of R.A.F. Blows At Nazidom

Northern Advocate, 14 September 1940, Page 8

Statistics Of R.A.F. Blows At Nazidom

[British Official Wireless .] RUGBY, September 12. The impressive scale of the recent British air attacks on military objectives can best be appreciated from a summary of the number of raids upon specific targets. From the beginning of September until Wednesday morning—the period during which the brunt of the German attacks have fallen on London —the Royal Air Force has carried out: Twenty-three separate attacks on German-occupied aerodromes in France, 18 on German aerodromes, 10 on aerodromes in Holland, and two on aerodromes in Belgium. Black Forest Blazing. Fifteen raids have been made on forests concealing military objectives. Great tracts of the Black Forest have been set ablaze and equal success has been achieved in the Thuringerwald, the Ober Hartz and forests/near Berlin. Thirty-five attacks on the German railway system, including the large Potsdam station at Berlin. Considerable damage has been caused in marshalling yards, sidings and tracks. Twenty-nine raids on German and German-occupied docks and shipyards, where big fires and explosions have been caused. Other Objectives Twelve raids on barge concentrations. Five on canal and river systems. Fourteen on munition workfe (among which was Krupps). Eight on aircraft works, including the motor factory at Munich. Sixteen on oil refineries. Nine on fire stations (the West Charlottenburg station, near Berlin, was bombed for two successive nights). Seven on gun emplacements on the French coast. Eleven on shipping. Three on Italian objectives, including tlie aero engine works at Turin, and many other varied military objectives, such as gas works, blast furnaces and light installations: Chief Objectives Over 700 of the 1500 bombing raids carried out by the R.A.F. on Germany and German occupied territory, covering 200 localities, have been on the territory of the Reich itself. The chief objectives have been oil depots, refineries, armament works, aircraft works, aerodromes, docks, naval bases, goods yards, rail junctions, main lines, barges and shipping on canals.

The particular importance which attaches to attacks on synthetic oil plants and oil refineries is appreciated when it is recalled that Germany’s production is 6,200,000 tons and Germany’s synthetic production 2,500,000 tons. Synthetic Oil Works Harassed Forty per cent, of this synthetic production—l,ooo,ooo tons—is in the western part of Germany and has been continuously and heavily attacked in the last two months. A further 1,300,000 tons production is in central Germany, and attacks on these plants have now begun, including Leuna, which has an output of about 400,000 tons annually. Another very important part of the German oil industry is her refining plant. Germany has a total refining capacity of about 3,000,000 tons yearly. Of this total, about 2,500,000 tons are situated in Hamburg, Bremen and western Germany, including all producers of high-grade lubricating oil. Suitable Targets Owing to' the shortage of crude oil supplies, other than from domestic wells and Russian imports, these refineries are not likely to have been working at full pressure, but they are still extremely suitable targets, because a very large percentage of Germany’s commercial storage capacity is located at the oil refineries. If, therefore, Germany wishes to hold large stocks, she has to store a considerable proportion at refineries liable to constant attack by the R.A.F. The whole of the 2,500,000 tons refinery capacity in western Germany has been heavily and repeatedly attacked.

Clearing Stock From Roads. An endeavour is being made by the Whangarei county inspector to clear wandering stock from the roads in the county. This was shown by his monthly report to the council yesterday, in which he stated that various parts of the county had been visited and a number of stock impounded.