BIG AIR COMBAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 61, 21 December 1943, Page 3

BIG AIR COMBAT

RAID ON SOUTHERN GERMANY.

THIRTY-SEVEN ENEMY DOWNED

OVER BATTLE LINES IN ITALY

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 20. In a big attack on industries in southern Germany the Allied aircraft in the Mediterranean were met by one of the largest enemy fighter forces in recent weeks. About 100 Messerschmitts and Focke Wulfs took the air to attack Flying Fortresses and Liberators. The Lightning escort knocked down 37 of them and probably destroyed 22 others in the greatest aerial victory of the month. Eleven of our bombers failed to return, but some are believed to be safe. The raids confirmed recent predictions that the enemy would be bombed from two directions almost simultaneously.

The heaviest attack -delivered by Flying Fortresses was at Innsbruck, where many bursts on the railway yards were seen.

Liberators, also escorted by Lightnings, dropped bombs at Augsberg, 35 miles north-west of Munich. The bombers released bombs through heavy clouds and then fought off enemy fighters. Marauders attacked railway marshalling yards north of Rome and hit Perugia, Arezzo and Foligno after having flown through heavy anti-aircraft fire, but without encountering enemy fighters.

Mitchells hit the railway junction at Ternia.

Fighter-bombers delivered another attack on Civita Vecchia, hitting factories, supply dumps, and communications.. They also attacked gun positions and communications beyond the sth Army battle line. They produced an explosion at a factory in the north. Two Spitfires destroyed six enemy aircraft in dog-fights north of the sth Army battle line. Others strafed a train in front of the Bth Army, causing a freight car to explode and setting fire to the entire traiD - Heavy bombers of the Bth Army air foi’ce, escorted by fighters, attacked targets in North-west Germany to-day.—-British Official Wireless.