AMERICAN CONSULATE
 
      Southampton, England.
 
      December 5, 1940,
 
      The American Consul General, 
 
      London.
 
      
 
 
Sir:
 
      Damage to Fawley Refinery of the Agwi Petroleum Company.
 
      
 
 
Yesterday I proceeded to Fawley, which is some ten miles from 
      Southampton by road, to see what damage if any had been done 
      to the refinery there of the Agwi Petroleum Company (subsidiary 
      of the Standard Oil Company) in the two week-end attacks on Southampton 
      of Nov. 30/Dec. 1.
 
      I found that attacks were made on both weekends. On November 
      23 starting at about 7.04 p.m. the refinery was attacked by oil 
      bombs. The stores building was set on fire and three of the H.E.'s 
      did damage to the various lines. The first bomb broke the main 
      steam line, 15" and 12" water lines, electric cables 
      and some telephone lines and put out all the lights. The second 
      damaged the ethyl and chemical lines and the fourth bomb fractured 
      other lines. The damage was not very extensive and repairs were 
      being made.
 
      
 
 
On the night of November 30, a large number of H.E.'s were 
      dropped in the refinery grounds but fortunately most of them 
      just missed tanks and lines. One fuel tank containing approximately 
      8,000 tons of fuel oil was completely destroyed by a direct hit 
      from an H.E. bomb, but luckily no fire started and most of the 
      contents were held by the earthen fire walls and will be recovered. 
      One of the asphalt filling sheds was hit and suffered damage 
      to the building and pipe work. The railway siding was also slightly 
      damaged by an A.A. shell.
 
      
 
 
Another raid followed on the night off Dec. 1 but without 
      damage. There were no casualties at the refinery.
 
      Very truly yours,
 
      Consul General