BRITISH RAIDERS

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

BRITISH RAIDERS

GERMAN BASES INVASION PORTS SHIPBUILDING YARDS ) ' MANY FIRES STARTED KRUPPS WORKS BOMBED (News by Cable.) RUGBY, Oct. 9. In Tuesday night’s widespread Royal Air Force operations, strong bomber forces concentrated on naval objectives and also carried out attacks on. enemy shipping and invasions ports of the Channel and the North Sea. Tho chief targets of the heavy bombers were the shipbuilding yards at Bremen, Krupps’ works at Essen, a large oil refinery at Hamburg, and a hydrogeneration plant and power station at Gelsenkirchen. Tho first of the raiding force to attack the yards at Bremen arrived as early a-s 8.15 p.m., and in the next hour and a half the whole area was systematically bombarded with high explosive and incendiary bombs. Tho docks were repeatedly hit and fires were started in a parts. Sticks of bombs from one a r craft, burst on a block of factor' buildings. The crew saw two large explosions, followed a few minutes later by five considerable fires. Great Explosion The same bomber, dropping a second stick, scored a direct hit on another dock building, which was also set ablaze. After five, or 10 in.nutes the contents of the building apparently caught fire, for there was s great explosion and large quantities of debris were thrown hundreds of feet into the air in all directions.

At Wilhelmshaven, despite the severity of the barrage, all the at tacks were pressed home and ovei 15 tons of high explosives were dropped on the target. In a sw.ft attack on the naval base at Brunsbuttel, a single bomber dropped a line oE bombs across the mole. About three minutes after the last bomb had fallen the observer noticed a bright flash on the ground. The pilot at once circled the area to find out what had happened, and the flyers saw a string of large fires burning on the mole.

The attack on the oil refineries at Hamburg began later in the evening. Here again the raiders followed one another in quick succession, coming from all directions. From reports received if is clear that a high percentage of direct hit; was obtained.

Fires in Krupps’ Works In the) raid on Krupps’ works at Essen a fire started by one of the raiders was used as a guide. Load after load of heavy bombs were later dropped directly on the main buildings. One stick falling in the centre of the target set lire to several buildings. Another report stated that six fires broke out after another we-i aimed salvo registered d.rcct hits A third pilot reported on his return that tho whole area appeared to be ablaze. One of the raiders also attacked the aerodrome at Essen, whci bombs were seen to- burst among the hangars and tho aerodrome buildings. At Gelsenkirchen bombs dropped by the first raider started half ;; dozen fires, which' later were increased iu number and intcns.ty by high explosives unloaded by following aircraft.' One lire which wa; particularly brilliant appeared ti have taken a very firm hold.