R.A.F. RAIDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24326, 17 June 1940, Page 7

R.A.F. RAIDS

ENEMY HARASSED ATTACKS IN GERMANY MANY DIRECT HITS ~ (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) 1 RUGBY, June 15. (Received June 16, at 8 p.m.) An Air Ministry communique states that bombers of the Royal Air Force were rctively engaged in support of Allied forces over the fighting zones south of the Seine on Friday. Others attacked and severely damaged a concentration of enemy aircraft on. the Mervilie Aerodrome, near Nejuve Chapelle. Four of our bombers have not returned. During the night our bombers renewed attacks in Germany. Military trrgets were hit in the Ruhr and the Rhineland. In South-west Germany an attack was made on heavy concentrations of troops and material

in the State of Baden. Two of our aircraft ere missing. Early this morning Coastal Command aircraft destroyed large supplies of ammunition on the quay at Bergen and returned safely. This was another of the many recent attacks on German supply ships in Bergen Harbour. Direct hits were scored on docks, jetties and warehouses by the quayside. Antiaircraft fire was continuous, but before they left the British pilots flew low and heavily machine-gunned Nazi gun er .placements. ' Military objectives in Southern Germany and the Ruhr were simultaneously attacked in Friday night’s series of long-distance raids carried out by heavy bombers of the R.A.F. The raids on Southern Germany began shortly after .midnight and lasted nearly two hours. Low cloud sometimes hampered visibility, forcing aircraft to come low to identify their exact position, and anti-aircraft fire was heavy and well aimed. Heavy explosions were seen to follow some of the bursts, and one crew reported that they continued for nearly five minutes after the attack. Another crew reported seeing two vivid flashes, blinding in their intensity, a full minutes after the bombs had struck their target. At Duren, Kheydt, and Essen, crowded marshalling' yards at railways junctions were attacked with high explosive and incendiary bombs. Large fires were started on railway warehouses at Duren, and a terrific explosion followed a hit on a blast furnace neas 1 Essen. High explosives were dropped on marshalling yards near Cologne, where a large oil-fed fire was seen to break out. At Bonn, 15 miles to the south, several fires were started in an attack on the main railway line. Energetic Co-operation A French Air Ministry communique states that the Air Force continues energetic action in co-operation with the land troops. Our heavy and light bombers raided the enemy’s rear lines, causing much destruction and disorganising marching columns. Our fighters have been particularly active in dispersing German bomber formations. Numerous German planes were brought down. An earlier Air Ministry communique states that throughout Friday formations of our medium bombers bombed bridgeheads on the Seine. Troop concentrations and columns of armoured fighting vehicles in the fighting zones east of Rouen were . also attacked. Five of our aircraft are missing. During the night large numbers of our heavy bombers attacked military objectives on the enemy’s lines of communication over an area extending from Rouen eastwards to the Maginot Line. Bridges, railways, road junctions. goods yards, and oil stores were hit. Enemy, convoys, were also bombed, ammunition dumps exploded, and forests occupied by the enemy were set on fire. One of our aircraft failed to return. French planes bombed and dispersed armoured columns along the whole front. Troop concentrations and important lines of communication in the immediate rear of the enemy’s advance along the Seine and the Marne were repea’edly attacked throughout Thursday night and the early hours of Friday morning by strong forces of heavy bombers. Widespread Fires In the forest of St. Michael incendiary and high-explosive bombs exploded ammunition dumps and caused widespread fires. Sustained attacks lasting several hours were made on 14 strategic points. The Seine bridges at Les Andelys, Vernon, and Pent le Larche were all subjected to a heavy bombardment. Large tracts of woodland at St. Gobian and Nouvain were set on fire. These forests afforded cover for enemy ammunition dumps and ccnvoy depots. Flying east. to west over Boulogne docks one bomber laid a line of heavy bombs right across the target area. Five minutes previously another aircraft had registered 12 hits in the same district. On the road leading to Gournay four heavy bombs were dropped on a German convoy. The bombing of roads in and around this town continued for an hour and a,-half and at Gisors for just over an hour and aquarter. Enemy-occupied aerodromes, anti-aircraft batteries, and searchlight posts were also effectively attacked. R.A.F. raiders bombed a stationary train in the main station at Rheims from a low height and scored several

direct hits. Another aircraft, following an hour later, machine-gunned troops marching through the city. At Soissons road and railway bridges were, repeatedly attacked and some of them destroyed. At Chateau Thierry a great explosion followed a direct hit on the railway junction. At Laon another railway junction and nearby warehouses were extensively damaged. During the night oil tanks at Dunkirk were set on lire, and at Flushing and Ostend other aircraft made a lowlevel attack on aerodromes, inflicting further damage!