RAIDS ON THE CONTINENT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21244, 15 October 1940, Page 5

RAIDS ON THE CONTINENT

ROYAL AIR FORCE SUCCESS HAMPERED BY VERY BAD WEATHER DOCKS AT KIEL AND WILHELMSHAVEN BATTERED (Official Wireless) (Received Oct. 15, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 14 Details of British attacks on military objectives in Germany and German-occupied territories show that extremely had weather, with widespread cloud, snow and sub-zero temperatures, severely hampered Sunday night’s operations by aircraft of the Bomber Command. Flying “blind” through clouds which blanketed the whole route from England to Germany many of the raiding crews won through to the target areas, only to find the cloud down almost to the ground level, completely obscuring the objectives. Other raiders were more fortunate in their time of arrival, and were able to take advantage of fleeting gaps in the cloud bank, through which they were able to locate and bomb the targets. The naval dockyards at Kiel were attacked by one force which reached the canal zone about 10 p.m., after a 400-mile flight, made hazardous by violent electrical storms and an ice-forming belt 8000 feet deep, which extended over the greater part of the route. For nearly three-quarters of an hour the aircraft cruised above the target area, aw’aiting an opportunity to bomb through occasional breaks in the cloud. Sticks of high explosive were unloosed on the docks and the flash of the exploding bombs could be seen as a sudden glow’ in the enveloping cloud and snowstorm, which at times reduced visibility to nil. The weather also handicapped an attack on the naval dockyards at Wilhelmshaven. Two of the main shipping basins were located through momentary cloud breaks, and were heavily bombed under severe anti-aircraft fire.

Coal-tar Plant Attacked An attack was also made on the Blohm and Voss shipbuilding yards at Hamburg shortly after midnight, but here again the low cloud hampered the raiders. Weather conditions in the Ruhr were a little better, but another bomber force detailed to attack a large coal-tar plant at Duisburg, where nearly half the coal-tar of Germany is distilled, finally succeeded in locating their objectives after a chance glimpse of the factory’s tall chimneys through a gap in the cloud. Sticks of high-explosive bombs were dropped to straddle the target and a large fire was seen to break out after the bombing. Other targets in the Ruhr which were located and bombed included the Krupps works at Essen. Other raiding forces, prevented by the weather from finding their primary objectives, sought out alternative targets. Bombs were dropped by these aircraft on aerodromes at Wesel and Tezel, on gun positions on the islands of Borkum and Terschellihg., and on a seaplane base at Norderney.

The persistence with which the bomber crews strove to carry out their mission in spite of the appalling weather is well instanced by the record of one raider, which was flying in the vicinity of Borkum when part of its de-icing equipment failed and both engines began to fail, but picked up again. After three-quarters of an hour they were working normally, and, having now crossed the English coast, the pilot checked his position, turned out to sea again, and went back to bomb docks and enemy shipping at Flushing. Heaviest Attack On Calais Calais came in for the heaviest attack and was the centre of a series of raids, which began at 8 p.m. and did not end until close on midnight. Dive-bombing aircraft from one of the recently-formed Polish squadrons took part in the attack and heavy damage was seen to have been inflicted on the docks and harbour installations. Explosions and Fierce Fires A series of exceedingly heavy, explosions resulted from an attack on Flushing harbour last night by Coastal Command Blenheims. The main line railway junction at the mole was one of the chief targets, and following major explosions a series of fierce fires was caused where the bombs fell. Another great explosion occurred a full minute after one aircraft had i unloaded its last bombs, j Other Blenheims attacked Domburg ! harbour, northwest of Flushing, and i across the mole at Zeebrugge. ; Here also the explosions were exj tremely violent and the destruction ! was increased by scores of incendiary j bomb.!. % DISPUTES ON VESSELS HOSPITAL AND FOOD SHIPS TROUBLE IN AUSTRALIA (United Pres* Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 15, 12.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 15 I The strike on the hospital ship ( Manunda has been settled, but there has been no settlement of the dispute on the food ship Reynella.

NAYAL BASES ATTACKED OIL PLANTS DAMAGED ROYAL AIR FORCE SUCCESS (Omclal Wireless) (Received Oct. 15, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 14 Despite extremely adverse weather conditions, which hampered operations, Royal Air Force bombers attacked a number ol targets in Germany last night, also Channel ports in enemy occupation. An Air Ministry communique states: Attacks were made on naval bases at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, oil plants at Gelsenkirchen and Duisberg, the Krupps works at Essen, several enemy aerodromes, antiaircraft batteries searchlight and positions. The nightly offensive against Channel ports from Ostend to Le Havre was t >ntinued. One of our aircraft is missing. FOOD IN BRITAIN RECORD LOADING REPORTED LARGE STORES MADE

POTATOES AND GRAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 13 Partly owing to exceptional crops and partly to the Government’s “ grow more food ” appeal, London and North-Eastern Railway reports record loading of foodstuffs this year. As an indication of the immensely increased tonnages being dealt with, it is revealed that from a small section of this railway system serving a portion of Lincolnshire 300,000 tons of potatoes were handled during the first eight months of this year, as against 160,000 tons in the previous year, and 40,000 tons of grain, compared with 11,000 tons in 1939. The harvest is not yet completed. Huge tonnages have still to be dealt with. Grain in stacks and potatoes in heaps are being stored on farms in large quantities for future consumption. The task of lifting the enormous acreage of sugar beet has begun and roots are being conveyed to factories by the trainload. Releases of ham and gammon for sale cooked outside the bacon rationing scheme have been suspended temporarily. The Ministry of Food explains that the step has been taken in order not to disturb the full four ounces of the bacon ration during the few weeks before it is possible to lesume the releases for cooked ham and gammon. IN GERMAN HANDS SITUATION AT DAKAR STORY BY POLISH SEAMEN ESCAPE ACROSS MINEFIELDS (United Pre»6 Assi. —Elec. Tel Copyright) (Received Oct. 15. 11 a.m.) BOSTON, Oct. 14 Asserting that Dakar has been in German hands since early in July, | ihe crew of the Polish freighter I Rozewie told how they escaped across j minefields on July 5 when a German j mission arrived by plane, j The ship has since traded in South ‘ American waters.