ATTACKS ON AIRCRAFT WORKS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21192, 15 August 1940, Page 7

ATTACKS ON AIRCRAFT WORKS

HIGH EXPLOSIVE AND INCENDIARY BOMBS BRITISH FLIERS SUCCESSFUL MUCH DAMAGE DONE

(Official Wireless) (Received Aug. 15, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, August 14 Two of Italy’s most vital aircraft works, a Caproni factory at Milan and a Fiat plant in Turin, were attacked and seriously damaged in a series of raids by Royal Air Force heavy bombers last night. Flying some 1600 miles, the raiders made a double crossing of the Alps and had to climb three miles high to surmount the snow-capped peaks. As they headed for home after the attacks, which went on until the early hours of this morning, they left behind smashed factories, many of them on fire, and one pilot, as he recrossed the Alps could see the dull glare from the blazing Caproni works miles behind him. Visibility was impeded by some ground haze when the attacks began about midnight. One pilot who was over the Fiat works from 12.30 until 1.15 scored several direct hits and the roof of the works was pierced in several places. He could see his incendiary bombs hitting the holed roof, and after a fierce blaze had broken out there followed two large explosions. Another pilot made three separate runs over the works and he too scored direct hits with his incendiary bombs on the south end of the buildings, causing fires, while one of his heavy bombs struck the other end of the works. When another pilot arrived about 12.45 there was a haze covering the target, but it was insufficient to conceal it and he was able to score further hits with heavy bombs and start more fires. The haze became thicker, but now it was lit by flames as the fires started by earlier raiders took hold and spread. One pilot who took up the attack at one o’clock said the target was on fire when he arrived. From 10,000 feet he dropped fresh salvoes of high-explosive and more incendiary bombs, which further increased the blazing area. Railway sidings some distance to the west of the aircraft works were also hit and a road and railway junction south of Turin was attacked. One aircraft straddled the junction with two sticks of heavy calibre bombs, and another tore up the railway lines with a direct hit on the permanent way. The Caproni parent works at Milan, which turn out Italy’s bombing aircraft, were badly damaged when raiders attacked from just after midnight until 12.45 a.m. All reported seeing bursts on the target. A salvo of incendiary bombs fell in a line right down the length of the buildings, and as heavy bombs followed them there came a series of large explosions in a cluster of buildings at the south end of the works.

Explosion Followed by Fire An aerodrome at adjoining works was hit—a stick of high explosive falling across a hangar on the west side. When another pilot dropped his bombs on a seaplane statidh at the south end of a large reservoir he observed some of them falling on the concrete slipways, while others, hitting hangars, caused a great explosion and then a fire. Yet another part of the works, this time at the south-west corner of the factory site, was hit and a big explosion blew up parts of it. As other sections of bombers arrived they added systematically to the destruction and soon many fires were to be seen all over the target area. By 12.30 a pilot just arriving found the Caproni works and the aerodrome building on fire. One of them, dropping more bombs right across the factory building, saw the fires spread, and as the flames grew in strength they lit up the buildings, which could be seen clearly. One bomb caused an explosion with a big yellow flash, which died down quickly. At 12.40 one of the raiders, bombing from 10,000 feet in a clear sky, could see several fires in the target area and another large one in some railway sidings alongside. He, too, scored hits on the Caproni works. A little later another pilot came down to 1000 feet over a road and railway bridge at Cassan Dadda and hit it directly with two heavy bombs. Italians Taken by Surprise The Italian defences apparently were taken completely by surprise and the anti-aircraft fire was scanty and ineffective. All the aircraft engaged in this flight returned safely except one, which landed on the sea near our coasts. The crew of this aircraft were picked up safe. Italy’s Outburst of Anger The Italian official news agency leads an outburst of anger in the Italian press against the British raid?. It describes them as acts of criminal barbarity and adds that the Royal Air Force is too cowardly and inferior to risk daytime raids, and deliberately violated Swiss neutrality.