GREAT ACTIVITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24104, 24 October 1941, Page 7

GREAT ACTIVITY

BRITISH AIR OFFENSIVE DAY AND NIGHT ATTACKS WIDESPREAD OPERATIONS LONDON", Oct. 23 British bombers attacked targets in western Germany on Yi ednesday night, states the Air Ministry. Objectives in the Rhineland, including the industrial centre of Mannheim, the docks at Le Havre and the harbour at Brest, were bombed. Five British bombers are missing from the night's operations. Berlin admits that British bombers were over western and south-western Germany, and states that high-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped on various towns, killing civilians and damaging property. An Air Ministry communique states that the Bomber Command on Tuesday night attacked Bremen and a number of other objectives in north-west Germany. The Coastal Command bombed the dorks at Brest and Lorient and harbours and fuel stores at Rahus, in Northern Denmark, and also raided an aerodrome at Lanveoc. in Brittany. Fighter Patrols The Fighter Command, on a night offensive patrol, attacked enemy aerodromes in Holland and Northern France. Three aircraft of the Bomber Command are missing. It is established that a further enemy fighter, making a total of 13, was destroyed during an offensive sweep over Northern France on Tuesday. Ten British fighters were lost, but the pilots of four, arc safe. A further communique states: "In the course of patrols by our fighters over Northern France and the Channel on Wednesday, an enemy aerodrome and two small vessels were attacked. None of our aircraft is missing." German Launch Attacked A supplementary bulletin states that two pilots of a famous Royal Air Force squadron, which has destroyed nearly 40 enemy aircraft in combat, encountered a camouflaged German launch with a red, black and white swastika painted on it. Sea-level attacks wore made, the vessel's superstructure being damaged, and one pilot saw his bullets going through the boat amidships. Other pilots saw a small enemy ship, which they attacked and set on fire. Two men who were believed to be manning a gun were seen to fall overboard. Enemy raiders operated over scattered parts of Britain, mainly North Wales and Merscyside, during Wednesday night but caused little damage. Three raiders were shot down. There were some casualties, including a small number of people killed.