VARIED TARGETS

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 321, 11 October 1940, Page 4

VARIED TARGETS

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE NAVAL BASES BOMBED MANY HITS SCORED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ALL MACHINES RETURN (Newj by Cable.) RUGBY, Oct. 9. An Air Ministry communique states that aircraft of the Bom be and Coastal Command yesterday made daylight attacks on the ports of Boulogne and Loricnt. Las. flight the main strength of oui bomber offensive was centred on the naval bases at Bremen and Wilhelmshaven, where extensive damage was done.

Other aircraft were detailed to at tack military objectives over a wide area of western Germany, Holland, and enemy-occupied France. Targets bombed included oil refiner.es at Hamburg and Gelsenkirchen, ; power station at Kiel, the Ivrupps’ works at Essen, metal works at Hanau, tho Pokkcr aircraft works at Amsterdam, and the goods yard; at Mannerheim and Grcmberg, and •several enemy aerodromes.

Vigorous night attacks on the Jhannel ports were continued. Ah jur aircraft returned from these operations. Flames Over Bremen At Bremen tons of high exp los .vqs and hundreds of incendiary jombs were dropped during an a. cack which lasted for over an houi and a- half. The objective was hn repeatedly by heavy bombs and fires and explosions were observeu in all parts of the target area. Oik pilot reported that he saw flame, iciching high from a direct hit on ouilding and that a fire was followei Dy an explosion which threw debris hundreds of feet in, the a.r. Long after the raiders had left the targe, ihe glow from fires caused by tin incendiaries was still lighting up the sky.

The raid on Wilhelmslmven was equally' punishing. Here, bombers met intense anti-aircraft lire, some of which came from a ilagslup ly.ng at anchor. Despite the intensity , the barrage the attack was pressed nome and more than 10 tons o. bombs were dropped on the target. Shadowed by Aircraft

On the journeys between object ives and their bases some of tl. bombers also encountered flank fire at several points and two were slnu owed for some time in the dark ness. A pilot reported that while .lying over the Frisian Islands ;

about 10,0UU feet, he was followed by an unidentified aircraft showing dm navigation lights. Three minute, later this aircraft w:i s joined by an other and together they closed i about 800 yds. After coming dov\ .0 8000 ft., with the pursuers si on his tail, the bomber change course and eluded them.

Official Berlin reports state thru 30 British planes attempted to rain Gorlin last night but were drive, off. British planes on the previou .tight dropped 10 tons of bombs, in eluding -10 or 50 high explosives. The death roll was 25.