Brilliant R.A.F. Raid On Kiel SCHARNHORST BOMBED IN DOCK
LONDON, TO-DAY.
IT IS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT R.A.F. BOMBERS SCORED MANY HITS IN A NIGHT RAID ON THE ENEMY NAVAL BASE AT KIEL AND ON THE 26,000-TON BATTLESHIP SCHARNHORST WHICH WAS UNDERGOING
REPAIRS NECESSITATED BY THE RECENT ENCOUNTERS WITH A BRI
TISH SUBMARINE AND UNITS OF THE R.A.F.
The Air Ministry news service, expanding on the official announcement,
says the attack began a few minutes after midnight and took the de- fenders completely y surprise.
Excellent visibility enable + the raiders to trace their FIVE KILLED
route from the mouth of the Eider River right up
to the naval base at Kiel, which was located IN RAID ON without the need of assistance of parachute N.E. COAST
flares.
The first plane approached the target at a consider- able height and then, with engines throttled back, glided down to launch his attack.
The first bomb scored a direct hit on a floating dock a third of the way along its length, and was quickly fol- lowed by others which burst among buildings on the quayside.
The pilot of this aircraft stated afterwards: "Just when we were half way through our glide the
enemy
put up a searchlight which swept the sky but, having failed to locate us, it went out.
"We saw our first bomb burst with and a terrific explosion on the dock almost at the same instant every gun in the district seemed to go into ac- tion.
Barrage Too Hot
"The barrage was too hot for us to wait and see what damage we had done but we did turn round and no- tice that the fire we had started on the quayside was getting bigger and bigger."
of
The following raiders coming in to the attack in rapid succession were meet with a continuous barrage fire from pom-pom batteries and guns of heavy calibre.
One aircraft, pressing home its at- tack through a screen of bursting shells, was repeatedly hit.
second run.
target
"In the first, I was off the and did not drop any bombs. I could see the Scharnhorst perfectly as we came over the second time.
"We definitely scored hits."
A few minutes later the floating dock was again hit by a salvo of bombs and the pilot of this aircraft saw five large fires break out. The crew of another aircraft, close- ly following up the bomber claimed hits on the dock, reported these fires so lit up the target
that they could see distinctly the super- structure and gun turrets of the Scharnhorst.
which
Meanwhile other aircraft were at- tacking naval buildings and store- houses on either side of the Canal.
A large building to the north of the docks was struck and set on fire and another big shed so completely gutted that the steel girders in its frame- work were plainly visible among the mass of flames to the raiders over- head.
"Solid Mass Of Flame” Large fres were also started in other parts of the dockyard and the pilot of the last aircraft to leave the area described how "a solid mass of flame covered as much space as a big
The pilot added: "I have
never
"1 expected the tail turret to fall off but luckily it didn't," remarked the rear gunner of this aircraft, l'aerodrome." whose wireless operator reported that the whole Interior of the fuse-seen anything like it. Three other of quayside fires which would normally lage was lit up by the flashes
look quite big appeared almost in- shells bursting round him.
significant beside the great inferno," -Reuter.
Heavy Explosions
The aircraft reached its objective and the pilot dropped his bombs on the dockyard; he saw heavy explo- sions, followed within a few minutes by a huge outbreak of fire which was the still visible when the crew of crippled raider were 85 miles away on the homeward journey.
For nearly an hour the Scharnhorst and dockyard were continuously at- of the tacked by successive units strong raiding force.
Foar direct hits on the Scharn- horst and on the dock were claim ed by one of our alreraft. Another R.A.F. bomber, gliding down to within 2,000 feet, dropped three very heavy bombs which burst in a row across the battleship and started fires on the ship and on edge of the dock.
Second Run
the
The pilot of this aircraft said: “Anti- aircraft fire came uncomfortably close but as we were not hit I made
a
EX-H.K.F.C. PLAYER GETS M.C.
LONI ON, TO-DAY. THE MILITARY CROSS HAS BEEN AWARDED TO
NORMAN BRADBURY, OF REUTER'S AC- COUNTS DEPARTMENT IN LON- DON AND NOW A LIEUTENANT IN THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY.
Bradbury, when stationed in Shang- hal, was a member of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps and while at Singa- pore was in the Artillery Battery of} the Singapore Volunteer Corps. He was stationed in Hong Kong for a few months in 1932. Reuter
Bradbury played for the Hong Kong Football Club 2nd XI, with occasion- al appearances in the senior team.
London, To-day.
Five are reported to have been killed and many injur- ed, including several chil- dren, when bombs fell in a town in north-east England last night.
800 H.K. PASSENGERS REACH S'HAI
SHANGHAI, TO-DAY.
A DUTCH STEAMER ARRIVED HERE FROM HONG KONG YESTER- DAY WITH 800 PASSENGERS, THE LARGEST NUMBER EVER CARRIED BY THE VESSEL. MANY OF THE PASSENGERS WERE WEALTHY CHINESE.
The unusually large number indi- cates the large scale on which Hong Kong is being voluntarily evacuated by non-British nationals.
Passengers stated travel agencies in Hong Kong were crowded with per- sons trying to book passages. Reuter. H.K. Chinese Banks Hold Meeting
all
of A representative meeting Chinese banks was held in the Bank of East Asia yesterday evening when reviewed Houses and a school were badly the present situation was
and discussed. damaged.
The meeting decided to request heads of Government to keep the
the the banks well informed about The injured received prompt treat situation and also to give them suffi- casualty clearing station cient warning of any change for the ment at a while A.R.P. workers had many offers worse so that they may be able to of assistance. The population remain-evacuate their staffs and stocks with- ed calm. Reuter.
So far as is known only one raider appeared over the town and dropped only one bomb.
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