DEVASTATED RUHR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 7 April 1945, Page 5

DEVASTATED RUHR

TERRIFIC AIR ONSLAUGHT OVER 122,000 TONS OF BOMBS DROPPED London, April 5. With Allied pressure on the Ruhr becoming more intense daily the effects of the R.A.F.’s terrific air onslaught on this area is becoming more and more apparent. The Ruhr was the greatest centre of heavy industry and coal-mining in Europe, and it is improbable that the Germans will ever be able to attempt to conquer Europe if not possessed of It.

The area has been Germany’s main arsenal, producing not only finished products but also raw Material for other industries all over the Reich. The Ruhr, it is estimated, could produce as much steel as the whole of England, also half as much coal. Smoke from its factories as well as haze from the river and valleys helped to protect it from air attack. In addition the Germans had concentrated there the greatest anti-aircraft defence in the Reich.

The first battle of the Ruhr began in March. 1944, when Krupps and Essen were attacked by the Bomber Command. The second battle began with heavy at- ! tacks on the main industrial centres in turn, and the aim of this second battle was as much tactical as strategic. The Allied armies were fighting within a few miles of the Ruhr and the vast network of communications, which was of the greatest value to the dying Ger- ; man army, had t 6 be disorganised. It j was imposible to attack only keypoints because the Germans had to use such a | large and intricate system of communications, and consequently the aim was to disorganise the whole district and this led to bombing of areas already heavily devastated. Attacks of unprecedented weight were therefore carried out, generally of about 4000 tons at a time, with one against Duisburg when 10,000 tons were dropped in 24 hours. These attacks were mainly by high explosives, as previous devastation had made the burning of areas unlikely.

The attacks had the double effect of cutting lines of communication to the battlefield and preventing the Germans getting raw materials out to factories in other parts of Germany. An additional aim was the destruction of industries remaining in the Ruhr, as these had become doubly valuable to the German forces in the area, tanks from factories going straight into action and benzol straight into petrol tanks of armour and transport. From the beginning of the war to the end of March, the R.A.”. Bomber Command dropped 121,360 tons of bombs on 14 of the principal towns of the Ruhr, and in addition 1000 tons were dropped by United States air forces and by the R.A.F. on individual targets.