AIR ATTACKS ON GERMANY

Southland Times, Issue 24154, 17 June 1940, Page 5

AIR ATTACKS ON GERMANY

TARGETS IN RUHR AND RHINELAND

SUPPLIES DESTROYED AT BERGEN (British Official Wireless) (Received June 16, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 15. An Air Ministry communique states that bombers of the Royal Air Force were actively engaged in support of the Allied forces over the fighting zones south of the Seine on Friday. Others attacked and severely damaged a concentration of enemy aircraft on the Merville aerodrome near Neuve Chapelle. Four of our bombers did not return. During the night our bombers renewed then - attacks in Germany. Military targets were hit in the Ruhr and Rhineland. In the south-west of Germany an attack was made on heavy concentrations of troops and material in the State of Baden. Two of our aircraft are 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 emplacements. PROLONGED EXPLOSIONS 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. The raids on southern Germany began soon after 1 midnight and lasted nearly two hours. Low cloud sometimes, hampered visibility forcing the aircraft to come low to identify their exact position. Anti-aircraft fire was heavy and well aimed. Heavy explosions were seen to follow some of the bursts and one crew reported that the explosions continued for nearly five minutes after their attack. Another crew reported seeing two vivid flashes, blinding in their intensity, a full minute after the bombs had struck the target. At Duren, Rheydt and Essen crowded marshalling yards at the railways junctions were attacked with high explosive and incendiary bombs. Large fires were started in railway warehouses at Duren. A terrific explosion followed a hit on a blast furnace near Essen. High explosives were dropped on marshalling yards near Cologne where a large oilfed fire was seen to break out. On Bonn, 15 miles to the south, several fires were started in an attack on the main railway line.

GERMAN DECEPTION IN BATTLE

(British Official Wireless) (Received June 16, 6.50 p.m.) RUGBY, June 15. Every kind of trick and deception is used by the Nazis to speed up the advance of their armies. Two such ruses are described in London. At one point, an observer said, a line of what appeared to be refugees, including women with their arms in slings, came walking down the road in front of a British position. Immune from fire, they advanced until suddenly they threw themselves down and opened fire. The “refugees” were German soldiers in disguise. A general described the way in which the Germans made their break through near Forges les Aux. Soldiers guarding the bridge saw two French tanks roll up with Tricolour penants flying and men waving from the open turrets. He said the men waved back and cheered. When the tanks had passed them they suddenly turned and opened pointblank fire. Then a number of German tanks followed and the breach was made. WASHINGTON LEAVES FOR AMERICA (Received June 16, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 15. The liner Washington sailed for America from Galway with 2000 persons aboard. NEW CLASS CALLED UP INJBRITAIN (Received June 16, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 15. Men born in 1911, commonly called the “28’s,” totalling 280,000, registered today. They are expected to produce more married men than previous classes. A further 320,000 will register next week, bringing the total to 2,800,000.