BOMBS ON KIEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 9

BOMBS ON KIEL

■VIOLENT DEFENCE CURTAIN OF SHELLS • ■ BRITISH PILOT'S STORY By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless LONDON, August 28 The Air Ministry communique states: "Last night Royal Air Force bombers attacked military objectives in Germany and enemy occupied France. In Germany the targets included docks at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, a transformer station at Kelsterbach, near Frankfurt, the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Augsburg, oil tanks and supply depots at Mannheim, and several aerodromes." Heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force swiftly attacked the naval dockyard in the raid. 011 Kiel. The pilots and crews described- how bombs straddled the mole, while bursts were seen in other parts of the dock area. Heavy explosions- following one attack culminated iu a huge fire and a mass of black smoke, suggesting that an oil store was on fire. Another raider reported five large fires. One pilot came down to 800 ft. in face of fierce anti-aircraft fire and a blinding concentration of searchlights and released his bombs. He flattened out just over the water. Blinding Glare of Searchlights '-'We shot down to over the mole and just above water," the pilot said. "There seemed to be more searchlights than ever. At times I was blinded. It was impossible to see the results of the bombing. "Suddenly in front of me I saw a lot of trees coming up straight ahead. One of the searchlights flattening out -to try to capture us had illuminated them just in time for me to see them. I pulled the aircraft up and went over the top. The trouble was we did not dare go up too high, because as soon as we did every gun in the place started opening up. "I tried going up to 300 ft., but all the guns iu the area seemed to be banging away at us. It was incredible. We went down low again and flew over the town at about 100 ft. Our front and rear gunners were blazing away at points of fire on the ground. They used up about 3000 rounds between them. Terrific Barrage "We must have stayed over the town about 10 minutes, just charging backward and forward trying to get .away. Practically all the time we were at about 100 ft. I was trying to head west, but as soon as I did they put up a terrific barrage in front of us. "We just hoped to get out of it, but I must say I never' really expected we would. We went south, zig-zagging all the time. We got about 15 miles away. Then, although we were being shot at, we were able to gain height. As we went up we had to take violent evasive action all the time. Finally we got away." Another force of bombers attacked an important transformer station at Kelsterbach, near Frankfurt, scoring a direct hit. The crew of the aeroplane declared that the whole target appeared to explode. Aircraft Factory Hit Other raiders scored several direct hits on an aircraft factory at Augsburg, where Messerschmitts are assembled and also on an oil refinery at Mannheim. Others set fire to oil tanks-at Bee Dambes, near Bordeaux, and also at Pauillac, near Brest, both of which are important sources of fuel for Germany. A German communique states:— "British aeroplanes dropped bombs in Germany last night with no effect worth mentioning. Three British aeroplanes were shot down. One of ours is missing." ' - , < GERMAN NAVAL CLAIMS LONDON, August 28 The Berlin High Command claims that German naval units sank the armed merchantman British Commander, of 6901 tons, in the Indian Ocean. A German communique states: "A U-boat sank 28,600 tons, of British merchant shipping from a strongly protected convoy. German naval guns shelled and probably destroyed two submarines off the French coast."