Evening star., 1944-01-21
RAF Drops = 800 Tons Of Bombs
On Berlin, Setting New Record;
French Rocket Gun Area Blasted
Big Fires Started;
800 Bombers Take
Part in Attack
By the Associated Press.

oS tllC <AsSoSidt6u llesS.
LONDON, Jan. 21.-The RAFs
heavy Lancasters and Halifaxes
smashed at Berlin with more
than 2,300 long tons (2,576 Amer
ican tons) of bombs in the great
est of the II blows at the Ger
man capital and today American
heavy bombers launched attacks
on the Pas-de-Calais rocket-gun
area of France.
1t was possible that 1000 tons of
bombs crashed down on the French
coastal section, which with the
RATS total at Berlin would bring
the Allied bomb weight cast on the
enemy in less than "a hours to
around 4,300 tons.
On the basis of the previously an
nounced figures last nights force
participating in the Berlin raid
probably numbered around 800 four
engined planes.
The attack, it was officially an
nounced, extended over 80 minutes,
giving the huge bomb concentration
of about II tons minute-less than
the record of 81 tons minute set in
the Brunswick attack of January II.
On a previous attack that on No.
vember %, Berlin received a like
bath of fire when 1900 long tons
were dropped
Big Fires Started.
Large fires were started in the
new Berlin raid and smoke lowered
to a great height, the British Air
Ministry said The Germans called
the raid terror attack" suggest
ing enormous damage and casual
ties.
Thirty-fve bombers were lost by
the Raj in the raid on Berlin and
other night operations which in
cluded Mosquito attacks on North
western Germanay and mine lay
ing by other British planes.
In another of the nights forays,
Canadian Albacores of the coastal
command attacked two Nazi de-
stroyers in the channel and set one
ablaze. One Canadian plane was
lost.
Tonight Lull Broken.
The attack on Berlin broke 10
night lull in the assault on Europe
Taking off almost before dark, the
RAF fleet hit Berlin about o'clock
last night after plowing through one
of the heaviest fax barrages ever
oonito1
Nine squadrons of the Royal Ca
madam Air Force participated in
the raid, dropping their heaviest
bomb load since the Canadian
bomber group was formed a year
ago.
Dispatches to Sweden said the
Nazis had been steadily augmenting
the number of antiaircraft batteries
about the city in a last attempt to
stem the relentless obliteration of
the capital.
Good Cloud Cover.
The Swedish reports said the RAF
had a good cloud cover over the
capita. itself and the formations
were able to come in low for the
attack. There was no reference to
fighter opposition, indicating that
the cloud formation forced the Nazis
to fall back on antiaircraft defenses
entirely.
- The Berlin correspondent of the
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet said
Berliners are gradually learning
when to expect the raids, which re-
Gently have come on an average OF
one night out of every six, by va
rious signs such as the weather.
Last nights raid found the residents
prepared, he said.
Berliners have become SO accus-
toned to the pattern of the attacks
that they know when to get set for
the blockbusters, other persons who
have been through the raids said.
Berlin's newest bomb sshelters
sway under the force of the larger
explosives, eyewitnesses declared.
One such reinforced concrete
structure, on the Koethenerstrasse
between the Anhalter and the Pots
damer railway stations, extends
three stories underground and two
(See RAIDS, Page A-3D