Evening star., 1943-05-17
Mines Dropped
AT Low Level
By Big Bombers
Weser and FuIdu
Valleys Flooded
With Torrent
BULLETIN.

WIN OIISHt
BULLETIN.
LONDON tR.-Continuing
mighty, rocking assaults on
Hitler's Europe, American
bombers smashed at French
ports and docks today. Four
teen American bombers-
heavy ships and 10 medium
bombers-Were lost in the
daylight raids, which pound
ed most heavily at Lorient
harbor installations, the
U-boat base at nearby Kero-
man and the docks of Bor-
deaux.
Good bombing results"
were reported by returning
crews. High-altitude Ameri-
can Thunderbolts later made
a sweep over Cherbourg Pen
insula.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 1.-Two of
Germany's largest dams, the
Mohne and Eder, were ripped
open by plane-dropped mines
early today, flooding the Weser
and Fulda Valleys with a de-
structive torrent of two-thirds
of the water supply of the great
Ruhr industrial valley.
The blow struck by four -engined
Lancasters was one of the most ef-
fective of the war because it criti-
cally shortened the tortured Ruhr
arsenal's water supply, disrupted
traffic packed canals and knocked
out numerous power stations, one of
which was swept away.
The Air Ministry said tonight
Ruhr Valley bridges had been broken
by the floods and freight yards were
inundated.
The exploit cost eight bombers, but
it was only one of the widespread
blows of British bombers overnight.
They bombed Berlin again for the
third time in four nights, pounded
the environs of Rome and flew over
the italian capital itself, and at
tackled elsewhere in the Ruhr and
Rhineland.
Attack From Low Level.
"The attacks were pressed home
from very low level, with great
determination and GOODNESS in the
face Of fierce resistance" the Air
Ministry said of the dam burstings.
The Mohne Dam was ripped open
for 100 yards and the Eder Dam also
was reported preached Reconnais-
sance pictures showed the river be-
low in full flood. A power station
below the Mohne Dam was swept
away in the flood. The flooded
upper Ruhr washed away several
bridges and floods we're shown in
photographs to be rising in the
Dortmund area.
Dropping mines was novel op-
Grafton for the big black winged
bombers, more accustomed to loos-
ing two and four ton block busting
bombs.
Details of the attack we're not re-
ported. but an unofficial source said
the Air Ministry insured destruction
of the barriers by using mines which
would be swirled against the sluice
gates.
mo doubt some means was em-
ployed to float the mines adjust
the depth) so that they hit the most
vital part" he said.
Reduced Size of Fleet.
To have attempted to demolish
the dams with bombs would have
necessitated the use of far greater
number of aircraft than was en-
ployed and skillful precision work
at the sights, it was added.
Sir Archibald Sinclair, Air Min
lister, said walls of the Mohne and
Eder Dams were broken. One
backed up 1874 4,000,0 tons of water
and the other 202,000,000 tons, he
said. Their destruction constituted
a powerful blow to industrial Ger
many, he added.
The Germans themselves reported
officially on the Berlin radio that
the foodtide took heavy toll Of
casualties.
Both dams produced hydroelectric
power for Ruhr Valley industries.
The German yearbook lists only 80
dams, so the RATS night work
probably was a great blow to Ger
man industries, it was stated.
The disclosure was made in a
speech celebrating Norwegian inde-
pendence day at Albert Hall.
Eight Lancasters Lost.
"The operation was one Of ex-
traordinary difficulty and hazard"
the Air Minister declared, eight big
Lancasters were lost with their pre-
cious crews, but Wing Comdr. Glib
son, who commanded an aircraft
engaged in the operation, pressed
home the attack against strong de-
fenses and regardless of danger"
Sir Archibald called the RAF at
tack on Germany last night "a
trenchant blow for victory of the
Allies"
He told the crowd:
II have got news-great news-for
you today. The bomber command
the javelin in our armory-struck
last night heavy blows Of new
kind at the sources of German war
power"
The minister praised the bomber
command staff and those superbly
daring and skillful crews who smote
the Germans so heavily last night"
Important for Water Supply.
Both dams were considered even
more important for their water sup
(see RAIDS. Page 1-x9