PADUA POUNDED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 301, 20 December 1943, Page 3

PADUA POUNDED

Communications Hit Between

Germany And Italy

WIDESPREAD TARGETS

Rec. 6 p.m

RUGBY, Dec. 17,

"Another effective blow was struck at communications between Germany and Italy yesterday," states Allied headquarters. "The Padua railway yards were well covered by bomb strikes by escorted heavy bombers. The bombers also attacked Padua railway bridge. Other targets included gun positions, motor transport communications, points on the Fifth Army and Eighth Army fronts, and shipping on both coasts of Italy. A number of ships were hit. Civita Vecchia was again bombed and hits were scored on ships and warehouses. On Wednesday light bombers attacked enemy transport in the Sibenik-Dubrovnik areas and destroyed vehicles. Eleven enemy aircraft were destroyed. Two of ours are missing." . , The attack on Padua, which covered the target area with bombs, was the first strong attack made on that city, which is a rail distributing point for traffic from Austria and the Balkans and over the Brenner. Liberators bombed the bridge and tunnel at Dogna, near Trieste. This was followed in 24 hours by the attack on Innsbruck, Bolzano and the Aviso River bridge, near Trento. Lightnings supporting the Liberators encountered no fighters at Dogna, but fought it out with about 20 near Padua and destroyed five. All the bombers returned safely to the base. Medium and fighter-bomb-ers had a big day again at enemy shipping and transports, hitting three ships. They also hit quays and railway yards at Sibenik. Fighterbombers left a vessel sinking and another on fire off the Yugoslav coast. During these attacks they gave battle to 15 enemy fighters and destroyed five.