INVASION BASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23767, 21 September 1940, Page 12

INVASION BASES

RELENTLESS ATTACK FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS EFFECTIVE AIR FORCE WORK By Telograph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 20, 5.35 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 10 Continuing their relentless hammering of the enemy's Channel ports, bomber squadrons of the Royal Air Force on. Wednesday night again attacked shipping concentrations, docks and harbour installations from Flushing, in the north, to Le Havre, in the southwest.

Le Havre was singled out for the night's heaviest bombardment. Attacking in relays, a strong force of heavy bombers kept up an almost continuous assault upon harbours, docks and shipping for close on five hours. Many tons of high-explosive bombs and great quantities of incendiary bombs were unloaded 011 each target in the face of fierce opposition from tho ground defences.

One of the earlier raiders attacked from low level beneath a cloud. As its first stick of heavy bombs fell across the dock, there was seen the white flash of a terrific explosion, followed immediately after by a second smaller explosion, which appeared to come either from a ship moored alongside the Basin do Ma roe or from a large warehouse on the quayside. Havoc Among Shipping A great fire which grew out of the second explosion quickly spread, and could bo seen still blazing strongly by the bomber's crew when they were 50 miles away on their return journey. When the following aircraft pressed homo their attacks, sticks of high-ex-plosive bombs were seen to burst along the quayside of the Basin de Mnree, across the docks of the Qiiai de Saigon, and to straddle the Basin Ballot from the north-east tq the south-west. By 11 p.m. fires were seen raging in many parts of the harbour. A large ship alongside the quay was burning strongly, and a. 7000-ton ship about a mile north of Honfleur was seen to be ablaze, the flames lighting up a bank of low cloud which hung over the docks and the town.

Seven Machines Missing Aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked a convoy off Borkum. A direct hit was registered on an enemy destroyer. Other Coastal Command aircraft attacked the port of Cherbourg, shipping off the Dutch coast, and the aerodrome of Decooy. Seven Royal Air Force machines are missing.

A Berlin communique states: "The enemy bombed Belgium and Northern France, but did no damage. A number of civilians was killed. Tho enemy on Wednesday night hit three hospitals marked with the Red Cross. Nine children were killed and 12 injured." While the maip attack on Le Havre was in progress other sections of Wednesday night's large raiding force were ranging the French, Dutch and Belgian coastlines bombarding invasion bases nt Boulogne, Calais, Dieppe, Dunkirk, Zeebrtigge, Ostend, Flushing and Antwerp. Results Observed At Boulogne low cloud hampered the attackers and several raiders cruised over an hour in the vicinity of the targets awaiting a break in the clouds and a favourable opportunity to attack. Bombs were then dropped across tho dock from the Loubet basin to the tidal harbour. An electric-power house is believed to have been struck at Dieppe, where a violent explosion and a bluish green flash followed the bursting of a salvo of bombs. During the raid on Ostend one attacking aircraft flying at 1500 ft. was turned over 011 its back by the blast of a great explosion which followed the bursting of a bomb. Intense Bombardment The docks at Flushing were subjected to 20 minutes intense bombardment. Many bursts were seen on the target area and 011 dockside buildings, and explosions broke out on the quaysides among several extensive fires started by the 'raiders. One could be seen for a quarter of an hour after leaving the docks. Among other objectives attacked was a big railway yard at Brussels, where fires broke out and caused explosions which continued for 20 minutes. rango gun emplacements at Cap Gris IS"ez were again bombed, and after a low-level attack by one bomber, tho crew observed quantities of material flung into the air a few minutes later. Several miles out at sea the same crew saw the flash of a great explosion. ORDER FOR AEROPLANES AMERICAN ARMY NEEDS (Received September 20, 15.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 The Secretary for War, Mr. Stimson, has announced that the Army has ordered 9174 of 18,641 aeroplanes authorised by Congress this session.