POWERFUL ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1941, Page 5

POWERFUL ATTACK

MABE ON THE RHINELAND IN DAYLIGHT BRITISH BOMBERS ESCORTED BY FIGHTERS. MANY OTHER TARGETS BOMBED. LONDON, August 12. A concentrated attack by strong forces of Blenheim bombers was made on Cologne yesterday in daylight, when the chief targets were the great railway network and power stations in that area. Six squadrons of bombers penetrated into the Rhineland this morning and attacked the Cologne area. They were powerfully escorted by fighters to Antwerp. The bombers penetrated 150 miles through the German defences and attacked their objectives at point-blank range, the targets being left in flames. The fighters covered the withdrawal of the bombers across the North Sea. Another strong force of fighters patrolled the Dutch coast. Other bombers, escorted by fighters, carried out extensive operations over Northern France, where they attacked railway and power stations. Three Messerschmitts which tried to intercept our machines were shot down by the escorting fighters. Other objectives elsewhere were also attacked. In all these operations we lost 12 bombers and eight fighters. There were no enemy attempts to raid Britain today, a communique stating that there was nothing to report.