ROCKET BOMBS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25047, 10 November 1944, Page 5

ROCKET BOMBS

GERMANS CLAIM USE ATTACKS ON LONDON V2 WEAPON DESCRIBED (Reed. 5.H5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 8 A German High Command communique announces that V2 (rocket projectile) has been in use against London for some weeks and claims that it is a far more effective explosive missile than the Vl (flying bomb). Renter's correspondent says that Y2 is described in reports from Sweden and other neutral countries as a powerful rocket with a range of between 200 and 300 miles and a warhead comprising one ton of high explosive. One or two of the missiles were found in Sweden after being fired across the Baltic from the Peenemunde research station. Swedish reports described Y2 as a long, fairly fat rocket, with fins like a bomb. "Flying Telegraph Pole" Some reports state Iliat it is 50ft long, "like a flying telegraph pole with a trail of flame at the rear," and faster than sound, so that it hits its objective before it is heard. Bases in Germany, Holland, Denmark and Norway are claimed as feasible for attacks against Britain. The second phase of the great secret weapon war, which started on June do, in a mysterious way last month, said the chief correspondent of the German overseas news agency, Georg Schroeder, in a special broadcast tonight about Y2. "Never before have the German military authorities been so reticent about a secret weapon," he said. "We can be sure that nothing will be revealed about the technical side of Y2. Everybody in Germany today is speaking about the new weapon, but nobody knows anything definite, and no man or woman employed on the mass production of the weapon will give away a single word. Other Secret Weapons "A great fact of military importance has been revealed to the world — the British hope that long-range fire against London would cease with the freeing of the Channel coast has notbeen fulfilled. The German High Command has more secret weapons at its disposal and revolutionary changes in the technique of long-range war are not finished." The Berlin radio devoted much time to V2 tonight. One announcer said: "British reports have repeatedly emphasised that the new explosive can neither be seen nor heard before its exceedingly strong detonation. The British Government has done its utmost to prevent news of V2 spreading abroad, but confirmation that particularly violent explosives have been fired against London have reached neutral capitals. 'The British Government has again postponed the return of evacuees to London in the face of the new danger. The British Government has also concealed from its own people that a more effective and more dangerous_ longrange weapon has been in action in addition to the flying bomb, about which everybody knows. Details of London Damage "In the London district," the radio added, "extremely heavy damage was caused to a block of houses and traffic installations at Camberwell, Mitcham, Sidcup and Edmonton, and a large railwav bridge in South London was completely wrecked. If the German authorities required further proof of the accuracy of Y2. official British reports supplied it by announcing, after the nights on which London was exclusively attacked by Y2, that flying bombs were over the capital." The announcer added: "V2, together with VI, will henceforth be the medium of Germany's retaliation against England. The "Fatherland's gratitude goes out to the research workers who, in spite of the air terror, toiled untiringly. They invented, tested and developed the new weapon and eventually brought it into action. Soldiers and scientists, using Y2, can hit the enemy just where ' the High Command thinks fit." The announcer also added that the news of V2 would dominate the Berlin morning papers, whereas the United States election would receive ten lines. Hitler's Failure to Speak The Press Association's diplomatic correspondent says that the German propaganda machine probably launched the Y2 drive at this particular time, Jirstlv. to cloak Hitler's failure for the ' first "time for 21 years to. speak on the anniversary of the Munich beer hall putsch today, and, secondly, to bolster flagging German morale at a moment when a new Allied offensive appears imminent. Te German news agency attributed Hitler's failure to come to the microphone to "the mobilisation ban on celebrations of any kind." Hitler's last speech was on Julv 21. A powerful "ghost" voice repeatedly interrupted the German radio programmes between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. vesterdav. asking: "Why doesn't Hitler speak? Wliy does the Fuehrer keen silent.-? What is the matter with Hitler?" MORE FLYING BOMBS ALERT IN LONDON AREA (Reed (5.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 9 The Germans launched flying bombs against Southern England from over the North Sea during the night. Some casualties and damage are reported. An alert was sounded in the London area EXPLOSIONS AT DUNKIRK LONDON, Nov. S Explosions were heard on the southeast coast of England for many hours todav from the Dunkirk area, leading to the belief that German ammunition dumps had been blown up by bombers and fighters which crossed the 37 miles of sea during the day. JAPAN AND RUSSIA (Herd. 9.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 8 The Japanese Government, according to the Tokyo radio, is examining with care and deliberation Marshal Stalin's speech terming Japan an aggressor nation.