HUGE AIR RAIDS

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22063, 14 June 1943, Page 3

HUGE AIR RAIDS

GERMANY POUNDED

VITAL POINTS BOMBED BIG FIRES STARTED (Unltsd Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, June 13 A bomb load considerably more than that of over 2000 tons which fell on Dortmund on May 23 was dropped on Dusseldorf and Munster on Friday night, when the Bomber Command resumed the Battle of the Ruhr. The combined attack was the heaviest of the whole war. Forty-three bombers are missing from both raids. The Royal Air Force was out in great strength again last night, delivering another instalment of the second 100,000 tons of bombs for the Axis in Europe. The | main objective was the indusi trial city of Bochum, right In the centre of the Ruhr. Twenty-four bombers are missing. Experts are of the opinion that this is the biggest air raid week-end ever experienced. That view was expressed before Saturday night’s raid. It is estimated that between 2500 and 3000 Allied planes pierced Hitler’s European fortress. The loss of 43 bombers in a single night attack over Germany is not light, but it is regarded as not excessive in view of the scale of the attack and the destruction caused in such an important centre. These night raids followed attacks by over 200 American bombers on Wilhelmshaven and Cuxhaven in daylight on Friday, when U-boat yards and bases were the principal objectives. Eight bombers were lost. Royal Air Force fighters and bombers made damaging offensive sweeps over France and Holland on Friday, and operations over France were resumed again on Saturday evening. Important War Town The main attack was on Dusseldorf, whose heavy engineering industries make it one of the most important war towns in Germany. The great Rheinmetell Borsig works are a close rival to Krupps. The other target, Munster, 50 j miles north-east of the Ruhr, is a centre for railways and waterways on which many Ruhr industries depend. An area of 380 acres of Dusseldorf was devastated in the summer of 1942 and a heavy attack was made on March 25.

The crews out on Friday night reported that pitch black volumes of smoke about 20,000 feet high rose from the target after the attack and there were huge fires burning underneath.

“I have never seen anything like it before,” said one pilot. Another ; airman said: “When we got into the ' rising smoke our Lancaster suddenly | leaped upward. We could feel the | heat and the smoke blackened our I windows.” j Most of the crews agreed that even at the beginning the flak was not up to Ruhr standard. The ground defences gave no sign of life until the first bombs were dropped. Then the barrage was fairly intense, but it was soon overwhelmed by the weight of the attack. Hitting War Factories “I should say the attack was definitely another advance for us in the Battle of the Ruhr,” a squadron commander said. “We were all determined to knock the war factories of the Ruhr right out.” The weather over Munster was equally favourable and all reports agree that the attack was successful. The opposition was not severe and the targets readily were identified. At least 10 fires with high columns of smoke were burning yesterday morning. The actual number of bombers which crowded over Dusseldorf for just over an hour has not been disclosed, but it was the greatest number since the days of the 1000-plane raids and included the biggest num- i ber of four-engined aircraft ever used in one night. The Press Association’s aviation writer says he is assured that we have air crews and planes sufficient to launch these great onslaughts until the industrial centres of the Reich have been bombed into submission just as surely as was Pantellaria. A broadcaster in Berlin admitted that the fires were still burning at noon yesterday. A war reporter narrated a story of the raid, evidently against Dusseldorf. He j said: “I am now looking at burnt i out places where the flames still j flare up, but we tired people must j carry on our work. A great deal : happened last night. We realise i what it means to be exposed to such ! dangers.” An A.R.P. worker said: “I was ; forced to appeal for help from out- I side, as the local organisation was j not sufficient.” Attack by Americans Over 200 heavy bombers of the ! I American Eighth Air Force attacked ; | Wilhelmshaven and Cuxhaven in daylight late on Friday. One large ! force of unescorted bomberi pene- j trated to the U-boat yards tot Wilhelmshaven against strong enemy opposition, while a second formation j attacked harbour installations and i the submarine base at Cuxhaven. Bomb bursts were observed in both | target areas. The leading groups in the Wil- 1 helmshaven ittack met fierce fighter opposition and a large number of enemy planes was destroyed. Eight bombers are missing.