ATTACKS ON GERMANY

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21708, 20 April 1942, Page 3

ATTACKS ON GERMANY

ROYAL AIR FORCE RAH) j GREAT DAMAGE DONE (United Tress Assn.—Elec. rex. cony rum LONDON, April 13 In crossing over 1000 mile.- ol enemy-occupied territory in daylight to attack the Diesel submarine engine works at Augsburg, in Southern Germany. a iormation of Lancaster bombers, which are mentioned for t.ne first time as participating in an operational flight, made one of the most daring .flights of the war. Great damage must have been inflicted on the factory, and the entire U-boat construction programme has probably been put out ol joint. Augsburg is 400 miles deeper into Germany than any target previously attacked in the daytime. The raid was conducted by 12 new four-engined Lancaster aircraft. They flew all tne way at a very low level and many people in England saw them setting out during the afternoon. The factory which was the objective of the raid makes no less than 50 per cent of the Diesel engines for submarines, and to cut down the supply of these engines is to throw the whole submarine building programme out of gear. Our bombers came in over the factory at chimney height and the air crews saw the burst of the bombs on the target. The factory was heavily defended by antiaircraft guns and there were even gunposts on the roof, the crew of one of the planes reporting having seen more than one wiped out by bursting bombs. Almost from the start of the outward journey the Lancasters experienced fierce engagements with enemy fighters and four of our bombers were shot down south of Paris, but the remainder pressed on to the objective. Three other Lancasters were shot down by anti-aircraft fire after making their attack, but the remaining five landed safely at their bases well before midnight. Augsburg is the home of the huge Messerschmitt works and it was from there that Rudolf Hess flew to Britain on May 10 last year. Hit By Many Bombs The Diesel submarine engine works at Augsburg were hit by many bombs. The formation of Lancasters crossed the Channel in the afternoon and reacned Augsburg in broad daylight. A squadron-leader who led the first section has given his own account of the raid. “As soon as the Trench coast came into sight I took my iormation down to 25ft to 30il and we Hew the whole of the rest of the way to Augsburg at that height,” said the squadron-leader. “Soon after we crossed the coast enemy fighters appeared in fairly big numbers and a tierce running fight developed. It was our job to pierce straight through to the target, so we kept in the tigntest possible formation, wing-tip to wing-tip, so as to support each other by combined fire. "We went roaring on over the countryside, lifting over hills and skimming down valleys. Fighter after fighter attacked as from astern. Their cannon shells were bursting ahead. We were continually firing at them from our power-operated turrets. “We rushed over the roofs of a village and I saw cannon shells which had missed us crashing into houses, blowing holes in walls and smashing the gables of roofs. “The fight lasted 15 minutes or so and aircraft were lost, both by ourselves and by the Germans. Then their fighters gave up, probably running out of ammunition. “Charged Straight At It” “After that we had no more trouble until we reached the target,” continued the officer. “We swept in across France and skirted the border of Switzerland into Germany. I pulled the nose of my aircraft up a trifle to clear a hill, pushed it down the other side and saw the town of Augsburg. We charged straight at it. “Our target was not simply the works, but certain vital shops in the works. We had studied their exact appearance from the photographs and we saw them just where they should be. “Low-angle anti-aircraft fire began to come up thick and fast. We were so low the Germans were even shooting into their own buildings. They had quantities of quick-firing guns and all our aircraft had holes made in them. “The big sheds which were our targets rose up exactly ahead of me. My bomb-aimer let go our bomb.>, which, of course, had delayed action fuses, or they would have blown us all up. We roared on past the town. “I had the painful experience of seeing one of my formation catching fire. I was thankful to see it make a perfect forced landing. “At that moment all our bombs went up. I had turned and so could see the target well. Debris and dust were flying in the air. Then I set a course for home. The light was beginning to fail. I was not attacked again. Until dark we again flew a few feet above the ground. Then we rose to normal height and got home without further incident.” Mr Churchill's Message Mr Winston Churchill sent the following message to Air Marshal Harris, Commander-in-Chief of the Bomber Command : “We must plainly regard the attack by Lancasters on the U-boat engine factory at Augsburg as an outstanding achievement. The Royal Air Force was undeterred by heavy losses at the outset and bombers pierced in broad daylight into the heart of Germany and struck at a vital point with deadly precision. Pray convey the thanks of the Government to the officers and men who accomplished this memorable teat of arms, in which no life was lost in vain.”