HEAVY BLOWS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 54, 5 March 1943, Page 3

HEAVY BLOWS

ALLIED AIR ASSAULT

Nazis Feel Combined Weight Of U.S. And R.A.F. British Official Wireless Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, March 4. "Last night our "Domoers made a heavy attack on Hamburg and also objectives in Western Germany," states an Air Ministry communique. This was Hamburg's 96th raid. It is believed that more submarines are built at Hamburg than at any other German port. "Intruder aircraft destroyed an enemy raider over Holland. Ten of our bombers are missing."

A German High Command communique says: "The R.A.F. last night greatly damaged buildings at Hamburg. The population suffered casualties." \ .

All the crews of last night's heavy attack on Hamburg mentioned the clouds of smoke which hung oVer the target. Many 40001b bombs and tens of thousands of incendiaries were dropped. Lancaster, Halifax, Stirling and Wellington squadrons were in the attack. The anti-aircraft fire was not as intense as usual, but the searchlights were numerous. As the raid went on about a third of the searchlights went out, but the barrage remained fairly continuous. Some pilots considered that the enemy was relying on night fighters. One pilot saw five. Mosquitoes of the Royal Air Force bombed the washing and crushing plant of the mines at Knaben, 40 miles east of Stavanger, in daylight yesterday. It was the first raid over Norway since Trondheim was raided on January 25. One of the planes is missing. Targets for U.S. Bombers The United States Army communique states: "United States Army Air Force Flying Fortresses attacked targets in Germany and. . Holland to-day, overcoming adverse weather conditions. One formation penetrated to the important railway marshalling yards junction at Hamm in Western Germany. No opposition was encountered at the target. Direct hits were made on the yards. Our aircraft were engaged by a strong force of enemy aircraft on the return journey, and many encounters ensued. Information available indicated that 14 enemy aircraft were destroyed., "Another force of Fortresses attacked shipyards at Rotterdam under difficult weather conditions, but hits were seen in the target area. Five of our bombers are missing."