The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-08-29
BY RICHARD @. HOTTELET
TYr,ikad pre~e Staff fymrrenn0ndentl

QueIlCly py Ulc EOkAT d1AA yCoUS%A0y
the British Ministry of Information
claimed that 40 per cent Of Ger
many's synthetic gasoline produc-
ton had been stopped and that
bombs had destroyed great Ger
man stores of gasolione at Ham,
burg, Bremen and other ports.)
Big Fires Started
The high command said that the
German air fleet had struck at
Liverpool and Birkenhead, where
big fires were started; and had
bombed Cardiff, Bristol, Mindless
borough, Thameshaven and the
Chatham naval base during the
night. Arms factories at Coventry
near London also were bombed, the
high command said.
The high command communique
identified the East church and
southend airdromes on the Thames
Estuary and the harbor Of Bognor-
regis, on the south coast Of England
between Portsmouth and Brighton,
as the chief targets Of Nazi air at
tack yesterday.
There raids were described as
effective.
According to the communique, the
German attack last night wa sin
Increased strength" and was aimed
at the docks at Cardiff, Liverpool
and Bristol (all on the west coast
of England; at Middlesborough
and at arms works in the Shelf
field and Norwich areas.
German planes were said to be
still dropping mines in British har-
borS.
British Blows Admitted
The British raid on Berlin and
other German detectives during the
night, including an attack on the
great synthetic gasoline works at
Leuna, was admitted by the high
command, but it adde dthat dam
age caused here is slight"
(The British have reported many
raids on the Leuna plant, but the
Germans had not previously adj
mitted such attacks.)
Several other points in Central
and Western Germany were bomb
ed also" the communique said, but
no damage worth mentioning was
caused"
The high command charged that
the British bombardment Of Berlin
was a planned attack" on resi-
Dental quarters and said that the
total British losses in fighting yes
terday were A planes and one bar
rage balloon. German plane losses
were given as Is.
10 Believed Killed
Ten persons were believed to have
been killed in the raid on tn Ber-
lin area where fires were started
by the British bombs.
LAS result Of incendiary and
explosive bombs numerous civilians
were killed or injured and fires were
caused in attics or other damage
was caused to private houses" the
communique said. "One of the raid
ing enemy planes were shot down
by anti-aircraft before reaching the
Berlin area"
The statement said that sub
marine under Lieut.. Commander
Schepke sank seven armed enemy
merchant ships totalling $4,000 tons,
including five in convoy.
Using parachute flares to get their
aim, British planes dropped two
ITO pound bombs in the KottbuSser-
strasse in southeast Berlin. Four
men and two women standing in
doorways were killed and is persons
were wounded. Conclusion from the
bombs broke nearly every window
within a quarter of a mile radius
and glass Uttered the streets.
Incendiary Bombs
Incendiary bombs dropped in this
district started fire in the top part
OF an apartment house which was
still burning in mid-morning.
Damage was concentrated largely
in this block, police said, though
numerous incendiary bombs drop
ped in the eastern Bruenau suburb.
1t was the first real British raid
during a war that is drawing to
the close of its first year.
From 1925 a. m. to 3:18 a. m,
while Berliners huddled in air raid
shelters, British planes ranged over
the capital despite the barrage from
massed anti-aircraft guns guided by
the beams of many searchlights.
Official sources asserted that the
British planes bombed residential
and suburban districts and did not
attack military detectives. Damage,
1t was asserted, was magnificent"
None Of the persons wounded or
killed, the official news agency said.
had taken to air raid shelters during
the tow hour and So minute raid
period.
Air raid organizations, the agency
said, extinguished roof fires which
the British bombs started at several
points.
It was said that numerous British
planes appeared at short intervals
over greater Berlin, dropping In
cendiary and high explosive bombs
at different points.
Most Casualties
Most casualties, 1t was indicated
were caused by a bomb which drop
ped In q street In southeastern Ber-
lin.
Berliners started scurrying fol
shelter as air raid sirens sounded at
1928 a. m.
Activity diminished during the
second hour Of the raid but planes
again became distinctly audible over
the center OF the city. Anti-aircrafl
gun activity remained restricted q
the outskirts.
As soon as reports Of casualties
had been received. the propagands
ministry organized Q tour OF IN
spectlon TO take foreign CORE
spondenls 10 the spot