§ 63. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will inform the House approximately when and where the first night air-bombing raid took place during the present war, respectively, on Great Britain, France and Germany?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Captain Harold Balfour)The first British raid on German territory was the attack on the seaplane base on the Island of Sylt on the night of 18th–19th March, 1940. The first German attack on British soil was carried out on the night of 16th March, 1940, when bombs were dropped on the Orkneys, causing civilian casualties. One of the first acts in the German oflensive in the West was at attack on the town and harbour of Calais in the early morning of 10th May, causing numerous civilian casualties. This was followed by German attacks on aerodromes and communications in France on succeeding nights. The Royal Air Force began attacks on military lines of communication in Western Germany on 11th May, 1940, and on the following nights and days.