TRAIL OF DAMAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24372, 9 August 1940, Page 5

TRAIL OF DAMAGE

ENEMY BASES BOMBED MANY FIRES STARTED OIL PLANTS IN FLAMES (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Aug. 7. An Air Ministry communique states: Bombers last night, hampered by low clouds and poor visibility, were forced to abandon many of their primary objectives. In spite of this an oil plant at Homburg, a supply depot at Schwerte Aflak (anti-aircraft), a battery at Hamborn, and a factory at Mors were attacked, while other aircraft bombed aerodromes in Holland and northern Germany, causing considerable damage to hangars and starting many fires. One of our aircraft is missing.

Taking advantage of cloud formation which concealed his approach, a medium bomber pilot raided the Paris airport at Le Bourget yesterday afternoon. Several large twinengined German aircraft were on the tarmac, and a number of others of medium size were standing near the hangars. The raider took the enemy completely by surprise and was able to drop bombs near the aircraft and hangars and retreat into the clouds before the anti-aircraft batteries could be brought into action. At night a small force of heavy bombers continued- to harass the enemv's strategic bases in many parts "of Holland and north-west Germany. Dutch Aerodromes Bombed At Gelze Rijen, a military aerodrome in South Holland, enemy aircraft were caught on the flare path, along which a stick of bombs was seen to burst, while a further salvo set the hangar alight. Another raider interrupted enemy night flying at Eindenhayen by causing all the aerodrome lights to be extinguished. Three aircraft hastily took off, but the raider, before disappearaing in the clouds, dropped bombs and several fires broke out. * , ■ . At Venlo military aerodrome, near the Dutch frontier, it is thought that a lighting plant was hit, as; a vivid flash preceded the extinction of all lislits' • Other Dutch bases bombed included Ypenburg, Schipol, Solsterbere and Texel, where an attack by a Messerschmitt 110 with cannon and machine-gun fire was successfully repulsed. . ~,.„„ In Germany, aerodrome buildings at Gladbachrheydt, near Dusseldorf, were damaged, and fires were started at Krefeld aerodrome. . Two aircraft located an oil plant at Homburg, and, flying through intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire, succeeded in starting Ave large fires. At Reisholz, near Dusseldorf, bombs were dropped on a refinery which had been damaged m previOU Another aircraft, which was unable to find its main objective, attacked and set on fire an arms factory near Mors, west of Essen. Bombs silenced anti-aircraft batteries five miles west of Haiborn, near Duisburg.