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all fighter squadrons had been withdrawn, three to this country and two to the Channel Islands. Reports of activities during the latter part of the week are not yet complete, but information it was not possible to include last week is now available. On the 11th June there were four Blenheim reconnaissances and twenty-four day-bombing sorties by Battles against the bridges of the lower Seine a bridge at Pontpoint and a pontoon bridge at Courcelles were destroyed. All our aircraft returned safely, and claim the destruction of one enemy fighter. On the same day forty-nine fighter sorties were flown, and five enemy bombers and one Heinkel 113 fighter were shot down without loss. During the following night fifteen Battles raided Les Andelys; little anti-aircraft fire was encountered, but the enemy made observation difficult by firing what appeared to be parachute flares from the ground. On the 13th June there were seventy-eight Battle sorties and one reconnaissance. Enemy columns were attacked near Evreux and a large transport park in the Forêt de Gault was bombed against intense fighter and anti- aircraft opposition.
Attacks on Germany.
39. Night operations against objectives in Germany have continued, subject to some interruption by unfavourable weather; 416 sorties were flown and nine aircraft lost. Raid Assessment Reports continue to indicate satisfactory results, particularly at Hamburg where aircraft works, factories and shipyards have been very extensively damaged. The aircraft erecting works of Blohm and Voss are reported to have been destroyed, and a chemical factory (believed to be that of Gesellschaft fuer Lund's Eiscmachinen A.G.) was hit, and fires and explosions continued all day. The morale of the Rhineland population is said to be deteriorating.
40. The week's operations are summarised as follows:-
June 14th-15th-
Marshalling yards in Rhineland at Soest, Hamm, Essen, Kaln, Rheydt, Duren and Euskirchen, and 24 Wellingtons bombed military objectives in the region of the Black Forest; fires and explosions were caused over a wide area. June 16th-17th-
Weather prevented operations.
June 17th-18th-
Railway junctions at Wedau, Gelsenkirchen, Fallersleben, Hamm, Coblenz, Koln and Rheydt.
Aerodromes at Schiphol, Heide, Wesel, and Barmen.
Oil plants and storage at Homburg. Wanne-Eickel, Hamburg and Essen. June 18th-19th-
Aerodrome at Barge.
Power Station at Hamburg.
Munitions factory at Koln.
Oil installations at Hamburg, Vastrop, Rauxel, Hanover, Sterkrade and elsewhere.
June 19th-20th-
Aluminium plant at Grevenbrück.
Marshalling yards at Düren and Euskirchen.
Oil objectives at Hamburg, Wanne-Eickel and elsewhere.
41. Eighteen sorties were also flown for minelaying in the Rhine and Danube; the latter were somewhat hampered by bad visibility.
Attacks on Italy.
42. On the 15th/16th June eight Wellingtons were despatched from aerodromes in Southern France to bomb Genoa. Heavy local thunderstorms were encountered and only one aircraft bombed the target; several hits were registered. On the following night six aircraft operated with greater success; fires were started at a factory near Milan, and the Ansaldo and Caproni works at Genoa were also hit. The aircraft and servicing units in Southern France have now returned to this country. Reports indicate that our attacks on Italy have been very successful and have created a deep impression.
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