Evening star., 1941-06-17
R. A. F. Night Attacks
Batter Cologne and
Dusseldorf Area
Fleet Air Arm Assists
Coustul Command in
Dunkerque Assault
D. the Associated Press.

D. the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 1.-THE Royal
Air Force in attacks last night on
Western Germany delivered its prin-
cipal blows on the Cologne and
Dusseldorf districts, where many
fires were left burning" the Air
Ministry announced today.
Duisburg also was reported
bombed in this sweep over Ger
many's industrial Ruhr and Rhine
land districts, while other planes
attacked the docks at Boulogne and
machines of the Fleet Air Arm CO.
operated with bombers of the r. A.
F.'s coastal command in an assault
on the docks and harbor at Dun
keruue, on the French coast.
The Air Ministry admitted the loss
Of seven planes in these attacks.
The night attacks followed often
sive daylight sweeps yesterday dur
ing which aircraft of the Bomber
Command continued attacks on
shipping off the coasts of Germany
and the German-occupied Neither
lands.
Ia Planes Claimed.
At least IA German aircraft have
been destroyed during the last "a
hours around Britain, the British
said.
british losses in an aerial fight
over the Channel yesterday and
in other engagements during the
night were set at 26 planes by
Berlin sources)
Overnight activity by the Ger
mans centered near the East Coast
and in the West and Southwest of
England, and in two places some
damage was done and few persons
injured the British said.
Three of the IA Germans claimed
shot down we're bagged during the
night, the British said. Presumably
these three were bombers, while dur
ing the day 10 fighters and ! sea-
plane were claimed.
Berlin sources described the Brit
ish night raid on Western Germany
as failing to damage any military
objectives, but said bombs fell in
presidential quarters in several
places causing some civilian casual
ties. Nazi night fighters shot down
nine R. A F. bombers, they said.
Attacking Units Stronger.
The strength of the British at
tacking units during the last six
nights of bombing the Ruhr indus
trial district of Germany was re-
ported to be many times that of last
August and September. The British
now are using bigger planes which
carry fire, explosive and new super"
bombs, 1t was said.
One unofficial estimate had the
r. A. F. unloading more than 1000
tons of explosive bombs during
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
night attacks on the Ruhr. Hun
dreds rather than scores of British
bombers now fly at night, it was said.
There was no hint concerning the
type of planes used in the attacks.
Some sources said United States
built 1ong-range bombers probably
are being kept by the r. A. F. for
raids on Berlin and targets farther
afield. Most Hudson bombers arriv-
ing from across the Atlantic 60 into
action with the coastal command.
More Bombers Released.
The flow of American planes, 1t
was said, is permitting England to
release her own bombers for big |
night raids at the risk of heavier |!
losses.
Observers asserted they now were
"puzzled" over the comparative in
activity of the German air force
against Britain while the British
were bombing Germany heavily.
During the preceding lul in the
air war on both sides, bad weather
had been given as the reason.
London sources said that one ex-
planation for the continued relative
inactivity of the Luftwaffe might be
q transfer of planes to the Russian
frontier.