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APPENDIX VII.

Air Attacks on Enemy Territory in Europe.

Extracts from Recent Raid Assessment Reports.

The following reports of damage have been received during the past week from Air Reconnaissance and Intelligence Services :--

Germany.

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Berlin. In the raid of 7th/8th November one side of the large store Kaufhaus des Westens, situate in the Tauentzien Strasse (akin to Selfridges "), and the Reuter building were severely damaged.

Occupied France.

Brest. In recent night attacks no bombs have fallen on the town and the damage has been confined to the dock area. On the night of 11th/12th December one bomb fell about 15 metres from the end of one of the dry docks.

Photographs taken during the daylight attack on the 18th December show that at least four sticks of bombs straddled the dry docks in which the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau were lying. It is thought that altogether 13 bombs burst in the immediate vicinity of the dry docks, but no direct hits were observed.

Italy.

Naples. In raids in November the Town Hall and Exchange were hit and after the raid on the 27th/28th rail services to Rome were once more affected. Trains were routed from the Mergellina Station and were upwards of 15 hours late arriving in Rome.

A photographic reconnaissance of Naples reveals that since the 11th November the following major damage has been inflicted:

(i) A direct hit has been registered on the largest building of a big factory

north-west of the railway sheds.

(ii) A large area of the roof has been removed from a big building in the

south-west corner of the Olificio Ligure Depot.

(iii) Extensive damage to a group of small warehouses near the railway

station.

(iv) Further damage to the royal arsenal, particularly to three large buildings, one of which has been gutted. Half the arsenal has been completely destroyed.

(v) Further severe damage to the torpedo factory, including the demolition

of some factory buildings adjoining this factory.

(vi) To the east of the Alfa Romeo Works a long building and two small buildings have been gutted, and the south-east corner of the Alfa Romeo Works themselves has been damaged and has the roof missing. (vii) At the A.G.I.P. oil storage depot one tank has been gutted and three

damaged.

(viii) Buildings to the south-east of the gas works in the west of the town have been destroyed, including a large block which has been gutted by fire, although the gas works themselves are still operating.

(ix) The roofing of some large buildings in the southern part of the I.M.A.M.

Airframe Works has been shattered, probably by blast.

(x) A large hole is visible in the roof of the main railway station and half a mile to the north of the station two blocks of warehouses and a small factory have been destroyed or seriously damaged.

Sea Mining.

A vessel employed on mine destruction damaged itself on entering the port of Bordeaux on the 5th December and has had to be dry-docked.

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