1940-05-17 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 17, 1940.

BIGGEST R.A.F. RAID

OF THE WAR

On Germany East Of The Rhine

LONDON, TO-DAY.

TWO FEATURES OF YESTERDAY'S OPERATIONS WERE THE BIGGEST R.A.F. RAID OF THE WAR, AND THE FIGHTING WEST OF SEDAN. The R.A.F. raid, the Air Ministry announced, last- ed the whole of Wednesday/Thursday night, 'planes bombing enemy road and rail com- munications east of the Rhine. Many tons of bombs were dropped and many fires and ex- plosions followed.

The Nazis have kept fairly quiet about the raid, although a passing reference to it is made by the German High Command, which claims that no military objectives were hit but a num- ber of civilians were killed, and that "many bombers only did some damage.”

Sedan

com-

The only reliable news of the oper- ations west and north of the was contained in the French munique, stating that operations were taking on the characteristics of open warfare, in which tanks and 'planes were being used in big numbers, but stating that the "higher interests of the conduct of military operations" prevented any, further details being given for the present.

#1

SHORTAGE OF COTTON IN MANCHURIA (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Hsinking, To-day. The Manchurian Cotton Spinners Federation is studying emergency measures to secure an adequate sup- ply of raw cotton, the "Manchuria Daily News" reports.

Spinners have been compelled to curtail work by more than half, and

Responsible spokesmen do not deny in some cases barely manage to con- the position between Namur and Se-tinue producing fabric with 30 per dan is serious, but assert that the Al-

cent. staple, fibre.-Havas. lied High Command has taken mea- sures necessary to reduce the "pocket" in the French defences at Sedan.

i.

Counter-Attack ·

Some of the German motorised units which broke through at Sedan got to the rear of the French lines, but by Wednesday evening the French were able to counter-attack.

Presumably, the

enemy resumed operations yesterday, but up to a late hour in the afternoon there was no more news.

It is known that there is a great melee of troops and tanks in the area affected, and the enemy is trying to debouch from the bridge-heads he has established. The Allied High Com- mand has taken the necessary disposi- tions which it hopes will be success- ful,

To the east and south of Sedan, the enemy is being held and the only ac- tivity there is. a heavy artillery fire all along the Rhine. French artillery is banging away at German munition and supply dumps, while German ar- tillery is attacking the French forts in the Vosges.

B.E.F. In Action

German attacks on Wednesday on positions held by "the" British troops between Antwerp and Lou- vain were successfully held. Correspondents with the B.E.F. here state that this push is secondary to the main drive further south.

The Lidé runs down to Louvain,. then southwards past. Namur - (which is to its east) and then down to Sedan and the French line.

Namur, like-Liege, is now- Isolated and-forming another centre of resis- tance behind the Nazi advance.

“Resist to," the utmost for the Fath-- erland. I am proud of you,” read a message from King Leopold which was broadcast several times yesterday to the commander, officera, N.C.O.'s and men in the forts at Llege.-Reu- ter.

THRILLING DETAILS OF AIR ATTACK

London, To-day. AN AIR MINISTRY announcement issued late last even- ing describes the operations on Wednesday night by the largest force of R.A.F. bombers yet employed. The damage inflicted was extensive and covered a wide area; only one R.A.F. aircraft failed to return.

The announcement reads: "The success of our large-scale bombing attacks on military objectives in Germany is best shown by the attempt in to-day's German High Command' communique to minimise their importance. It is however, noteworthy that strict | bombs were not to be dropped in- orders were to-day broadcast to the discrimately.

German people to observe the black- whole nation which "must be spared any damage from the air.".

out regulations in the interests of the

Damage Inflicted by the bombing

operations was in fact extensive and

covered a wide area.

Assisted by moonlight and a detailed knowledge of the country, learned

the largest force of R.A.F.: bombers

A few aircraft falled to locate the objectives and did not drop bombs but the majority found and bombed the targets with great effect, causing widespread damage, many explosions and firen. Long-range heavy bombers of the Whitley, Wellington and Hampden types took part in the operations.

from many previous reconnaissances, yet employed in a single operation set active. Large numbers of searchlights out from aerodromes in France and

Britain.

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Washington, To-day."

A war between the United States and Japan would be so costly that, everything must be done to avoid it, the Senate naval committee's report, addressed to the State Department, declared...

United States need not fear any. ag- The report emphasised that the gression as long as the present naval

ratio is maintained.-Havas:

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No opposition was offered by enemy fighters but the ground defences were

were encountered and the approach of the bombers was the signal for heavy A.A. fire.

Pressed Home Despite opposition the attacks were pressed home. One Whitley bomber made three separate runs over its tar- get at varying heights. Two direct hits were registered, one on the main road, the other on the railway line, four tracks of metals being plainly visible in the flash of the explosion.

Other Whitleys successfully bomb- ed roads leading to bridges, setting adjoining woods alight, and also at- tacked a military encampment whose position was revealed by the light of parachute flares.

in the centre of a mechanised column Another Whitley scored a direct hit two miles long.

Railway junctions, main road cross- ings and important autobahn were among objectives successfully, attack- ed by the Wellington formation.

In Balloon Barrage

One of the Wellingtons, coming down through a layer of cloud to bomb, emerged in the centre of a bal- loon barrage. By banking steeply the aircraft just managed to escape col- lision with the cables.

Several direct hits were scored on another long mechanised column by Hampden bombers, which also attack- ed road and rail communication.

Four minutes after a direct hit had been registered on a railway junction sheets of flame burst up out of the targets.

Another direct hit resulted in an explosion of -auchTM force that the aircraft several thousand. feet up was rocked by the blast."

In spite of the size and diversity of the operation and the large force em- ployed only one of our aircraft failed to return.

Simultaneously a night operation was carried out by Wellington and Whitley aircraft to assist Allied in- fantry in countering an enemy attack In the neighbourhood of Thurnhout and Dinant. These aircraft all return- ed safely,

Dog Fights

Day bombing operations were also carried out, in the neighbourhood of Montherne and Dinant by two squa- drons of Blenheim aircraft,

In these raids heavy damage was caused to parked lorries and tanks. Two-Blenheims have failed to return. Our fighter pilots had a good day. There was no lack of targets and attacks were pressed home from dawn to dusk..

A formation of six Hurricanes at- tacked 25 Messerschmidt 110s and shot down five. In another case two Hur- ricanes intercepted nine. Messersch- midt 110s and shot down four.

Four other encounters resulted in a loss to the enemy of 20 aircraft. In all during the day 50 enemy aircraft were destroyed." British Wireless.

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