Evening star., 1943-01-18
BY JAMES MACDONALD,

larry hot corner of hell on earth
last night.
l know because I was passenger
aboard one of the planes comprising
the large force that battered the
German capital l saw great
number Of 1000 pound high-eXplos-
i've bombs and thousands of inCen-
diaries blasting buildings right ano
left and starting Widespread fires
reminiscent of some of the big Ger
man raids we have gone through in
London. 1t was an aWesome sight
and was glad to be looking at it
from the air instead OF from the
ground.
(Stanley Richardson, head of
the London bureau of the Ma
tional BroadCaSting Co. who
went riding on the raid. said in
broadcast last night that Berlin
presented an aWesome picture of
fire under the punmelling Of
scores of tons of bombs. AS we
lined up for the run on the tar
get. whole blocks of flaming
buildings were visible below
, those raging confagrations left
no doubt that the very heart of
Berlin had been hit-and hit
hardD
Raj bombers had given Berlin
respite since November 7, l94l.
Last night they started to make up
for lost time. If Berlin has had any
worse raids than the one I wit
messed I'm glad I wasn't a resident
of the herrenvolk's capital city.
Number of Planes Secret.
am not permitted to divulge
the exact number of planes partici-
pating in the raid, but I can say it
was plenty, including Lancasters,
Britains biggest bombers: Strings
and Hahfaxes. Also I caTRot divulge
the various targets, but l can assure
the readers that they were picked
out for the specific purpose of Grip
pling Berlin's war effort
The destruction must have been
on gigantic scale because when
the Lancaster in which was a mere
"straphanger" was running the
Eantlet of enemy anti-aircraft fire
some so or 10 miles away on the
homeward stretch of the 1,200-mile
flight I could see fires raging behind
us, their lurid glow reflected in the
sky.
Last nights trip was the culmina-
ton of a long struggle by news
papermen, American, British and
Dominion correspondents, to per-
suade the Ministry of Air officials
to permit them to go on a bombing
raid.
Finally permission came through
Lots were drawn to see which or
ganization should win the first
choice, which the second choice and
so on.
Raymond Daniel, representing
the New York Times, drew the first
place for my paper. Next came the
selection Of the person who should
make the trip. Daniel wanted to
go, so did I. We tossed a coin and
7 won. - d
Disguised with his luck, Daniel
proposed that we make it two times
out of three. My luck held and I
won the second time.
He then proposed that we keep
on tossing until one of us had won
three out of four, but I baked at
that lest my luck run out.
I later was to experience a mo-
mentary regret that I had won.
Six reporters representing Ameri-
can, British and Dominion press
7nd two radio broadcasters, one
American and one British, were
finally lined up for the trip and we
left London for the various bomber
stations some 10 days ago, none of
Us having the remotest idea where
we were headed.
Taken to Different Bases.
: We were taken to different bases.
I At the one to which I went none
Of the bomber crews knew why I
was amongst them and in strict
observance of the security regula-
tions no one asked any questions.
, Only one or two higher officials
we're "in the know" and they would
not talk even if we had broken the
rules and asked questions.
: For over week I waited at nv
station. The weather appeared all
right for some other raids. Essen for
instance, on which some planes left
this station during the week. So
thought If the weather had to be
better still for the raid I will be
seeing there must be something big
IN the wind.
Finally. yesterday afternoon. I
was told to get fitted for flying gear.
was furnished a jacket helmet,
oxygen mask, fleece lined boots.
parachute straps, Mae West" (life
!acket) and was told to report for
"briefing at certain hour after
lunch"
The large "briefing room" was
tammed with airmen when I en-
tered At the front of the room was
a tall easel on which was a map of
Berlin, which the British bomber
crews have dubbed the big city"
and which they respect for it is
stronly defended by anti aircraft
guns and night fighter planes.
Every one whiStled under their
breaths and leaned forward in their
seats as a high officer picked up a
pointer and began giving instruc-
lions for the raid.
AS you,can see. said this officer
0 wing commander who is a veteran
Of many RAF raids and who wears
the Distinguished Flying Cross
"the target for tonight is the big
City
Detailed Instructions Given.
He went into detailed instructions
regarding the route TO be followed
what elevations the pilots were Il
fy and other matters which cannot
be presently divulged, Then he
wound up his talk by announcing
the time of the take-Off, making
every one synchronize their wrist
watches to the exact second with
his and said "all right, l want you
to prsng this target and prang Il
thoroughly and then bring all YOU
Kites home"
C"Prang" is Raj argot meaning
smash up, and kite" Is an air
plane)
Then the Raj intelligence Office