STRONG R.A.F. FORCE ATTACKS BORDEAUX

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 December 1940, Page 6

STRONG R.A.F. FORCE ATTACKS BORDEAUX

BOMBED [British Official Wireless] (Received 10th December, 1.10 p.m.) RUGBY, 9th December. Last night’s raid on Bordeaux was carried out by a strong force of heavy bombers which flew right across the plains of western France. As part of the much advertised “new phase of the war,” the Germans are using Bordeaux as a submarine base from which to attack our merchant shipping in the Atlantic, but the R.A.F. is tackling this as it did the phase of the projected invasion. The flight to Bordeaux is one with which British pilots are familiar. The great store of oil which the Germans accumulated at Bordeaux has already been set on fire and recently a heavy raid was made on a neighbouring aerodrome from which some of Germany’s largest bombers go out to .attack the Atlantic trade route. The first of our bombers arrived over Bordeaux about half past seven in the evening, states the Air Ministry News Service, and it was more than two and a hal c hours before the last turned for home. All the pilots were extremely pleased with the weather and clear sky. Many sought and found No. 1 work dock where German submarines were moored along the dock wall. The aircraft came over one by* one in quick succession and made their attacks independently. The pilot’s reports make a long and business-like catalogue of fires and explosions and the pilots are certain that many heavy high-explosiv bombs f ’1 very close to. if not on the submarines in the dock, ’t is also believed that dock gates were hit when a large number of bursts were followed by a shattering explosion at the entrance to the docks. Other heavy bombs fell among warehouses, railway sidings and jetties w i good effect and the bombers had time and ammunition to spare for an attack on nearby aero, lane construction works which were hit and set alight. Bordeaux was found to be heavily d-.fended by batteries of anti-aircraft guns mounted in ships and on the land ' At Lorient—the second submarine base raided—the weather was not so favourable, nevertheless many bursts were seen on the target area and a stick of bombs fell across a lar."o dockside building nt the north entrance to Iht channel.