Evening star., 1941-06-25
r. A. F. Bombers Hill
Al French Coast
Twice in Daylight
British Following Up
l4th Successive Night
Of Roids on Reich
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 25.-R. A. =
bombers roared across the Chan
mel twice today, once briefly in tn
morning and then in a heavier day
light smash this afternoon, follow
ing up their 14th successive nigh
assault on Western Germany.
At least seven more German
planes were added officially to tn
British claim of 12l destroyed IL
the past nine days of intensiv,
air sweeps across the Channel, ant
the Air Ministry said this was basec
only on reports so far received.
Two British fighter planes were &C.
knowledged missing.
The British radio, heard in
New York by c. B. S., said the
r. A. F. smashes against Ger
many and occupied France are
only the beginning of the most
gigantic air offensive known in
the worlds history"
This great air offensive" the
British Broadcasting Corp. said.
has been carefully planned dur
ing long and anxious months
when we had to restrict our ac-
tivity. But now production Of
aircraft, supported by the ever
increasing stream from America,
enables us to strike back with
a force which will prove more
devastating than anything we
have so far experienced in this
country
D.N.B., Official German news
agency, said in Berlin German
fighter planes shot down II
British Spitfires on the Channel
coast near the occupied French
port of Calais during British
raid today and only three Ger
man planes were lost.
On the past "A hours, the
agency said, the total score
stands at rs British and 8 Ger
man planes destroyed in the
cross Channel fighting)
Arms Train Blown Up.
British bombers, the ministry said
blew up an ammunition train In a
raid on railroad yards at Hazel
brouch, in occupied France, and
scored direct hits on two railroad
bridges, one of which collapsed.
From both daylight raids thun-
derous explosions soon echoed back
over the water.
Terrific blows apparently were
being hit at targets between Bou-
iogne and Calais in the afternoon
raid, carried out by a large forma-
ton of bombers escorted by clouds
of powerful fighters.
Observers said the rumble of ex-
plosions came from scattered direc-
tions and the r. A. F. was said
to have taken a heavy
toll again of German fighters IN the
summer haze over the Channel.
While the main bomber forma-
tons swept across into France. Brit
lsh fighter planes darted in the
skies on patrol, often breaking away
from their units to engage German
planes.
Aerial Cannon Heard.
Twice. long bursts of aerial cannon
fire could be heard from dogfights
miles overhead, but there was no
mention of German craft seen fall
ing.
Strong fighter squadrons also
screened the big bombers when they
launched the morning attack
The R. A. F. was believed to have
lsed giant Stirling, Halifax and
bombing planes, said to
De more than twice the size Of any
earlier British types, in the raids
against Western Germany. The
,ize. speed and bomb load Of all
.hree types have been secret.
Use of these giants was said to be
partly responsible for announced
ability of the r. A. r. TO drop .
greater tonnage OF bombs on Ger
many in the last two weeks than
turing the entire month OF April.
Informed sources said that be-
,ween $50 and 400 bombers were
lsed in night attacks on the Ruhr.
Kiel Among Night Targets.
The big German industrial CEN
.ers of Cologne and Dusseldorf
md the naval base at Kiel were
he main targets of the British
hight raids, the Air Ministry de-
Jared. 1t acknowledged the loss
If two planes in the operations.
German night operations over
Britain were comparatively light
and were centered chiefly on the
and dock areas of Liv-
erpool.
Before darkness fell yesterday
Prime Minister Churchill followed
IN a "play-by-p play" chart in the
operations room of a fighter COM
nand station the r. A. F.'s 11th as
,ault in nine days on the German
held French coast.
Arriving at the station for one
If a number of airbase visits he
1lanS, Mr.. Churchill saw bombers
md fighters take to the air, watched
he chart as 1t marked develop
nents in the attack and was on
hand when the planes returned.
The pre-night attacks were direct
ID principally against Boulogne and
Calais, and observers on the Eng
ish side of the Channel said they
to be among the heaviest
assaults on those French ports. Nine
German fighters were destroyed. the
British said.
Damage at Liverpool.
Some persons were killed and
others injured and damage was
.aused by the German attack on
liverpool, the British said. At least
our raiders were said TO have been
hot down.
A German Heinkel Ill bomber
vas reported shot down by anti
ircraft fire while diving to attack
convoy early today, the Admiralty
eported. The location of the ac-
ion was not given. The Admiralty
aid no damage or casualties were
uttered by the convoy.
Squadron leaders making reports