Evening star., 1942-08-01
RAF Rains Bombs on Dusseldorf:
Devastated City Still in Flames;
Reds Fall Back Below Lower Don
Raiders Drop $50
2-Ton Missiles
In so Minutes

Ss the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 1.-The RAF
blasted and set fire to the Rhine
land industrial city of Duessel-
dorf with $50 two-ton bombs,
hundreds Of thousands of incen-
diaries and a great weight of
other bombs of all sizes for so
minutes last night in probably
the most concentrated attack the
bomber command has yet made, :"
the Air Ministry announced to-
day.
Reconnaissance planes returning
to the devastated German city today
confirmed that many fires still were
burning at IL am, the ministryS
news service bulletin on the gigantic
assault reported.
The number of planes involved
was not disclosed, but that it was
tremendous was indicated by the
announcement that "a great number
of Lancasters (4-motored bombers)
as well as a great force Of all other
types Of heavy and medium bomb
ers" participated.
Thirty-one planes failed to return.
considering per cent as a nor
NAL loss this would mean about 900
planes took partD
First Since September n, 1941.
The attackers made a flight of 300
miles to reach their target. The
raid was the 47th made on Duessel-
dorf since the start of the war, but
was the first since September 27,
ls4l.
Bombs were hurled on the target
city "in a ceaseless rain," said the
ministrys account.
Very good weather. bright moon
light and easy recognition of the
target made possible such a rapid
attack and consequent saturation of
defenses," the bulletin stated.
Though Dusseldorf is an arsenal
Of great Importance to the enemy's
armed forces, and therefore has all
the defenses that one would expect,
the guns and searchlights were con-
fused by the momentum Of the
bombing.
"Duesseldorf lay quiet as the first
Of the bombers came over.
"On so clear night the flash of
the heaviest bombs was astonish-
ingly brilliant, but even more dra-
matte was the sudden answer of the
defenses.
Hundreds of searchlights came
on at once and the sky was filled
with bursting shells.
ITO overcome such opposition it
was necessary that bombs should
fall in ceaseless rain. They did.
Fires Rise Quickly.
Fires sprang up quickly as
bombs dropped, and above them
were columns of smoke up to 1000
feet"
One pilot said, "the fires seemed
to be in command Spreading out
ward from the main targets, flames
ate their way into most parts OF
the town"
Among the industrial plants sit
uated at Dusseldorf are the Rhein-
metal Iron & Steel Works, which
compare in size and Importance to
the Krupp Armament Works, and
the Vereinigte Stahlwerke UNITED
Steel Works.. The latter is one of
the four biggest plants of its kind in
Germany.
Important Rail Center.
Dusseldorf also is the site of large
silk, paper and patent food factories
and warehouses. 1t is Germany S
third largest inland port and an i'm
portant railway center, with one OF
the Rhine's largest railway bridges
Other targets attacked by British
bombers and fighters last night in
occupied territory included airdromes
In the Lowlands and railway yards al
Caens and elsewhere in Northern
France. Six freight trains were re-
ported shot up with cannonfire from
low-nying raiders.
The nights plane losses included
30 bombers and one fighter.
Berlin military quarters listed
rs British aircraft destroyed in
the Dusseldorf raid and said
NaA fighters and anti-aircraft
batteries accounted for total of
43 over Western Germany and
occupied regions)
The raiders included two squad
fons OF Canadians.
Scattered Raids on Britain.
While the Raj was engaged ovel
Germany, Nazi night raiders lashec
at scattered points on the British
east and northeast coasts. but pre-.
liminary reports indicated the at.
tacks were not heavy.
Berlin broadcasts said the attacks
were centered on Hull.
One enemy plane was reported
downed.
There was no activity over Lon
don, which was disturbed by earl.
morning alerts Monday, Wednesda,
and Friday.
The Raj assault on Germany las
night was the fourth of the wee
and followed q day Of intense aeria
activity over the Occupied Frencl
coast in which hundreds of British
and German fighter planes Tough
bitter duels that continued unit
dusk.
The Air Ministry reported II MAJ
planes-including three OF the pow
erful new Focke- -Wulf 190s-wer
shot out Of the sky in these combat.
(See RAIDS, Page A-4D
Envoy Returns to Turkey