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26 Aug 1940

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USSR	Reference: 3/PPDT/T38

1. GERMAN BOMBING AND AIR-RAID TACTICS
2. WRITER

From:	LONDON
To:	MOSCOW
No:	9**	26th Aug. 1940

To DIRECTOR.

1. In the night bombing of LONDON on 24th August fires were caused in ENFIELD, the CITY (MOORGATE) and the Docks. Altogether up to 300 aircraft in groups of 40-80 aircraft took part in the raids on the LONDON area; 50 percent of them were fighters. A high percentage of incendiaries was dropped and heavier bombs than before are being used. Some bombs were said to be full of heavy oil and caused no harm. Until midday on 24th August the SAUSAGE-DEALERS [KOLBASNIKI][i] bombed aerodromes in KENT, then aerodromes around LONDON and towards the evening they bombed LONDON, PORTSMOUTH and RAMSGATE. The press reports that the SAUSAGE-DEALERS are using 3,000 aircraft, i.e. one sixth of their operational aircraft, against Britain. SAUSAGE-DEALERS tactics this week - mass air-raids by day and 1-4 aircraft each night which penetrate to a large town and keep their air defence on the alert all night.

2. WRITER [PISATEL'][ii] has reported that large anti-tank obstacles and concrete blockhouses are being set up in the coastal zone. All the bridges in the zone are mined. In HARWICH there are four infantry battalions, two engineer companies, three artillery batteries and five A.A. batteries. The aerodromes has been bombed. The SAUSAGE-DEALERS appeared unexpectedly on the tail of returning fighters and the air defence was slow in noticing them. In HARWICH [1 group garbled] three wooden submarines. He has heard that the SAUSAGE-DEALERS have bombed decoy ships of this kind in SCAPA FLOW. The port is protected by 30 barrage balloons. In the port there are 12 destroyers which the British are using for [1 group unidentified] medium [B% size] sea mines [B% of which] they have 7,500.

[67 groups missed][a]

Notes:	[a]	The signature is probably among the missing groups.
Comments:	[i]	SAUSAGE-DEALERS: the Germans.
	[ii]	WRITER: See also MOSCOW's No. 417 of 20th August 1940 (3/NBF/T1735), and LONDON's Nos. 880 of 14th August 1940 (3/NBF/T1437), 890 of 15th August 1940 and 1107 of 3rd October 1940.

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Source(s):
United States National Security Agency

Added By:
C. Peter Chen

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