1941-07-07 — Page 34

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THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 7,

1941.

Blazing Beacons To Guide RAF Bombers Over Germany

300-Mile Trail Of Destruction Left By British 'Planes

R.A.F. AIRCRAFT WHICH WENT FURTHEST INTO GER- MANY ON SATURDAY WERE SIGNPOSTED ON THEIR RETURN BY HUGE BEACONS BLAZING IN HALF A DOZEN NAZI TOWNS, THE AIR MINISTRY NEWS SERVICE DECLARED YESTERDAY.

For 300 miles from Rotterdam to Mag-

deburg, which is only 70 miles from Berlin,

Bomber Command aircraft left a trail of

BERNHARD BACK FROM destruction. AMERICA

Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, who has just returned from Canada

At many vital points supplies and com- munications of Germany's western army were wrecked. At Rotterdam oil blazed furiously.

Osnabruck and Biele-|

At Osnabruck the railway yard was heavily bombed and elsewhere

and the United States, feld were deeply scarred large fires started among indus- interviewed for the Dutch by a concentrated attack trial buildings.

"Radio Orange" pro- gramme transmittedˆ by the B.B.C. to Holland, said:

"Thanks to the kindness of the British authorities I had very quick journey.

a

"I went to Canada by 'plane direct from Great Britain and I returned in one of those Ameri- can built bombers which now leave Canada for Great Britain flow. It in an ever-increasing

be was a great experience to allowed for s time pilot this marvellous 'plane.

on their industries, pow- er plants and railways.

Magdeburg and Rheine were lit by fires and Munster was devas- tated.

Within a few minutes of begin- ning the attack on Munster signs Oll of devastation were evident. dumps blazed and smoke rose 8.000 feet above the railway sta- tion and goodsyards,

to

Whole City Alight Separate fires began to spread ap- and merged until the city

and peared to be well alight,

BCC oach the

could bombers other shining red as they clroled above the furnace.

Prince Bernhard, referring to his short trip to the United States, said: The Presidential pledge that America will be the Arsenal

ONE CREW REPORTED THAT

"ONE of Democracy is not empty RHEINE

an phrase.

BLAZE."

"I was impressed by the enor- mous quantities of war material

At

WAS

Bielefeld the

HUGE

important

Explosives Hit

The glow was visible as returning aircraft crossed Dutch coast.

the

the

A

very

substantial

lond

of bombs was dropped on Magde- and burg. important industrial commercial city with many iron foundries and engineering works. after A series of explosions bombs had hit the railway looked as if explosives in trucks had been hit, according to one rear gunner, -Reuter.

Barges Bombed

in

the

An Air Ministry communique states: "A number of towns Western Germany provided main targets for aircraft of the

Assisted Bomber Command. good weather and moonlight our

heavily bombers

attacked objectives.

In Northern France an

by

the

aero-

now produced in the States. My power station received many hits drome near Caen was bombed by very great confidence in victory and the adjoining gas works blew aircraft of the fighter Command in the course of night-offensive has been still strengthened by up. Many fires started elsewhere In the town and huge industrial

patrols. what I saw during this visit."

buildings were seen to collapse. British Wireless.

SOVIET CITIZEN ARMY WAGING CEASELESS WAR

BEHIND THE SOVIET LINES a ceaseless struggle is being waged between Nazi para- and Soviet chutists mostly saboteurs troops, civilian defence units and private citizens, says a Moscow message.

Three

aircraft of the bomber Command are missing from these

night operations.

In daylight Blenheim alr-

Neighbours have a little discussion during newly organis-

od gas tests in England,

BLENHEIM FORCE

BAGS FOUR

GERMAN VESSELS

BRITISH BOMBERS smashed up German

craft of the Bomber Command patrol vessels in the North Sea and off the searching for enemy shipping Hook of Holland yesterday morning.

off the Dutch coast attacked a

tow of sea-going barges escorted An Air, Ministry communique states that

by an anti-aircraft ship. One

direct hit and a tug damaged.

of the barges was destroyed by a Soon after daybreak Blenheims of the Bomb- Before returning our bombers er Command made a successful low-level beat off a determined attack by attack on a number of enemy patrol vessels

enemy fighters.

Aircraft of the Coastal Com-in the North Sea.

off the mand operating coast of Norway bombed a ship of about 3,000 tons and another of about 800 tons.

west Four of the ships were destroy- the American Eagle Squadron ae- ed and two others hit and severely counted for one, which was shot damaged.

down by the Squadron's youngest Later in the morning other member who drew his first blood Blenheims bombed enemy patrol last week.-Reuter. vessels off the Hook of Holland. One of these vessels was hit and probably sunk and another dam- aged.

No aircraft is missing from these daylight operations." British Wireless,

Fires Started

Fighter Command pilots car- ried out a series of attacks

Fon

"Heavy bombers of the RAF.,

ACCORDING TO TIME- TABLE!

escorted by squadrons of fighters, TO

renewed the attacks over North-

France yesterday.

the important Caen aerodrome, In enemy occupied France, startern ing several fires,

Lille Bombing

German parachutists are generally drop-

One crew, flying an American

ONE NIGHT RECENTLY THE A stool and engineering works PILOT OF A HAMPDEN BOM ped in small groups whose main task is to built Douglas aircraft, saw their bombs hit and set fire to a large

at Lille was hit by sticke of SER DROPPED A BOMB ON A high explosive bombs, and RAILWAY JUNCTION AT HIL: wreck communications, destroy fuel dumps building. The fire was still blaz- ing when another aircraft arrived

bombs were also dropped on DESHEIM. HE REPORTED THAT the rallway *** yards" nearby, A SMALL FIRE FOLLOWED. and guide German members to their target over the town.

The crew of this aircraft saw Bonding up tall, columns of THE TIME WAB 02.50 HOURS high Some wear women's by ground signals.

explosive bombe start

smoke,

SAMUTH HALF. PAST TWO IN THE new fires possibly in tuel or

Escorting, fighters destroyed 11 MORNINGA) a sam clothes and others the uniform of the Red

-ammunition dunipayaanemet

German-fighters. Our losses in aircraft bombed runways, were two From Germany it is reported Army, but nearly all of them speak Russian.rights and a station near all these operations water, but that the night express from the

the aerodrome) the SA BANA According to Col. Spirin, writ-tricks," says the Colonel "Often All British machines returned the pilot of one of these fighters Hague to Berlin, recently, received The train was not on its peace- ing in the Sunday edition of they are dropped from transport safely in spite of intense ́ ́‚

time route through :Hanover; the zvostia," the Nazis are trying planes bearing the distinctive Red fire: British Wireless,vijet

sleeping cars, which are the only to repeat the surprises they car-Star of the Soviet Union,

through coaches, wore coupled to ried out in the Bow Countries last most of them are, roundea

Cologne-Berlu "express" at year.

before they can do any damage.

GERMAN 'PLANES

Many fighter pilots who escort the During the first days para- So far, says the Colonel,

ed, the bombers give great praise Lohne and the train then routed chutists were dropped in the a single successful operation __ STAY AWAY

to the accuracy of the bombing by Hildesheim, Brunswick and Immediate refr, of tho. Sovlet Juny, inportance. has beeti carried

Last night's British Minister of which is described as marvellous Magdeburg. to the Potsdamer, military units at the front, but out by the Nazl parachutists, but

communique, says the Air Ministry news sor- The train was due at Hildesheim mass Home Security

at 03.35 hours,phot of late they have been dropped he gave the opinion that as far back as 70 milon,"

descents may soon be attemptet, dealing with Gorman air activity, vice, whos

Four British squadrons each The pilot said 02.30 hours. That The malevolent and cunning especially with gilders which so stated laconically: "There is noth-

bagged two Messerschmitts and is 03.30 hours German thuc. chemico are up to many sly for have not been noted-fouter, ing to report."Heuter.

but up

not

of

is safe.

Eaglet Draws First Blood

a direct hit- en route, and that casualties were severe.