HEAVY ATTACKS ON GERMANY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 August 1941, Page 6

HEAVY ATTACKS ON GERMANY

BERLIN MAIN OBJECTIVE ! TARGETS IN MANY OTHERj PLACES (Kcc. 10.35 a m. * Rugby, Auk. 13. An Air Ministry communique states: “In spite of bad weather last night aircraft of the Bomber Command made heavy attacks on Germany over a wide area. The main objectives were targets at Berlin, industries in the Mag-i deburg, and Hanover districts, and the Krupp’s armament | works at Essen. In Berlin large fires were increasing their hold when our aircraft left, and much damage was also done in the other attacks. “Objectives were also bombed in many other places in Germany, including Stettin, Kiel, Bremen, Osnabruck, Duisburg, Cologne, aerodromes in Holland, and docks at Le Havre. From all these operations thirteen bombers are missing. “The fighter command attacked an aerodrome in occupied territory and the Coastal Command j attacked shipping in harbours j and an aerodrome.” A TWO HOURS’ ATTACK Further details of last night’s widespread attacks on Germany are given J in an Air Ministry bulletin. In almost all areas heavy cloud and bad weather I were encountered. The badness of the j weather kept the bombers over Berlin i for a long time looking for their tar- ! gets. One of the worst barrages yet I faced was met by them. Wellingtons. ; Manchesters. Stirlings and Halifaxes were over the German capital in a two hours’ attack. Fires were seen begin- I ning as white points of light, continuing ; as a red glare beneath the clouds and i ending as a sullen glow in the skies- i which our crews could see for a great i distance on the way back. PART OF TREE BROUGHT BACK One crew back from Berlin came into the interrogation room carrying wood from a German tree. The captain had come below cloud and found himself razing the top of a wooded hill. A Stirling crossed the coast at 400 feet then cruised round the Ruhr mostly at 300 feet and never above a thous- i and feet. The pilot finally found a i good target and dropped his load of j bombs. TREMENDOUS FIRE AT.ESSEN At Hanover the weather allowed our crews to see more of what they achieved and they were well satisfied with the j results. At Essen Wellingtons got the j armament works and started a tremendous fire about half a mile long.— ! 8.0. W.