BERLIN RAID

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24066, 10 September 1941, Page 8

BERLIN RAID

GREAT BOMB LOAD MANY BIG FIRES BUILDINGS GLOW RED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Reed. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. ft An Air Ministry communique dealing with the Royal Air Force raid on. Berlin on Sunday night, which was the heaviest raid yet made on the German capital, says the attack was carried out by a very po.werft.il force and lasted for about two hours, states the British official wireless. Great fires sprang up in the city. In addition a raid was made on the shipyards at Kiel, where extensive damage was done, and the docks at Boulogne were also heavily bombed. Good results were seen. 20 Machines Lost Four enemy night fighters were destroyed by the British bombers in the course of these operations. The R.A.F. lost 20 out of more than 300 aeroplanes which took part. The raiders included four-engined Sterlings and Halifaxes. They carried the biggest load of bombs ever to leave Britain. The number compares with approximately 250 bombers which the Germans sent against London in the last big raid, on May 10. So bright was the moonlight that the airmen were able to see the streets of Berlin. One said: "You could easily identify the bigger buildings. It was so bright that you could make out the traffic moving along some of the streets. I expect most of it was fire engines. "Soon raging fires made even better landmarks, as the bombers came in thick and fast. Buildings and streets away from the fires were glowing red in the light of the flames." An Immense Fire There was an immense fire near the Alexander Platz. Smoke from it stretched for miles to the east. Bombs were seen to hit buildings, factories, warehouses and railway yards. One crew reported a group of 50 small tires sending up a column of smoke for several thousand feet. There were fires in ail parts of the city—in the industrial suburbs as well as in the centre. A great many heavy high-explosive bombs were seen to burst round a main railway station and volumes of black smoke poured upward. On the return journey it was long before the crews saw the last glow of the many fires in the east. City's Lively Defences The city's defences were ready for the attack. Scores of searchlights swept the skies and pursued the invading bombers. The anti-aircraft fire was incessant and only stopped to let the night fighters approach. One B.A.F. observer who had been on 42 raids described this one of the best nights I ever had. Everything went like clockwork." The Daily Mail's aeronautical correspondent says the R.A.F. has completed plans for even heavier raids against the principal German cities as tne nights lengthen. He says it is estimated that well over 200 tons of highexplosive bombs were dropped on Berlin on Sunday night, causing colossal damage. Considering the bright moonlight, the R.A.F. losses were not excessive in proportion to the number of aeroplanes engaged. ANOTHER BATTERING REPORTS FROM BERLIN BRITISH OVER RHINELAND LONDON, Sept. 9 The German official news agency states that aeroplanes were over central Germany last night and bombed Berlin. Reports from the capital indicate that the attack was heavy. Nearly 100 British bombers raided the Rhineland last night, one of the principal targets being a large locomotive workshops. All the bombers returned safely. ANGRY OUTBURST GERMAN PRESS ANNOYED "ACTS WILL BE AVENGED" LONDON, Sept. S Tha Royal Air Force raid on Berlin on Sunday has caused an angry outburst in the Berlin press, which denounces the raid as "a loutish trick and a crime." The Nachtausgabe says the raid was "one of the rottenest and most disgusting yet made on Berlin," and adds: "These shameful acts will be avenged. The German sword will strike with fearful sharpness until Britain is forced to her knees." All the afternoon papers publish at least a column dealing with the raid. They emphasise the population's exemplary discipline and the care devoted to the victims. The German news agency states that 27 civilians were killed in the raid. It is announced in Berlin that 38.53 persons were killed in air raids on Germany up to August 2. The Moscow radio says that a Cologne woman in a letter to her husband, who is a prisoner of war in Russia, said: "We are now beginning to realise what the war is. We have an alert every day and hour. I am tired of all this." RAIDERS OYER BRITAIN LONDON, Sept. 0 Only a few enemy aircraft were over Britain last night, and they operated singly and confined their attention to coastal districts. One raider was destroyed. A German communique claims that strong formations of aircraft on Sunday night attacked military installations on the Tyne and Humber. ARMY'S ACHIEVEMENTS EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN (Becd. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 8 Further light has been shed on tho achievements of the Imperial forces in the East African campaign by Lieu-tenant-Genera! Sir Alan Cunningham, who commanded them. The outstanding fact was the lightning advance on Addis Ababa—l37o miles in 50 days. Five years ago the Italians took seven months to cover 420 miles, with only the Abyssinian tribesmen to oppose them. General Cunningham recalled the Italian claim that largo British forces were tied up in Abyssinia. "In March," he said, "we offered to send South African units to the Mediterranean front. The British forces throughout the campaign were never large. In the Battle of the Lakes, British brigades with 40 guns engaged 40.000 Italians with 200 guns. The riskiest moment was when the Italians were threatening the Addis Ababa-Jibuti railway and this lifeline was defended by only two British battalions." General Cunningham paid a tribute to the Duke of Aosta, the Italian com-mander-in-chief. "He had an intense desire to fight clean," said the General, but in practice it was not always carried out."