BOMBERS STRIKE AT REICH FROM SOUTH

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 302, 21 December 1943, Page 3

BOMBERS STRIKE AT REICH FROM SOUTH

FIGHTER OPPOSITION Innsbruck And Augsburg Heavily Raided N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 20. Heavy bombers of the North-West African Air Force yesterday made another attack on Innsbruck, capital of the Austrian Tyrol, where they hit a railway junction through which supplies are brought into Italy from Austria. Innsbruck was raided from tne south last Aveek. Another target was Augsburg, in Southern Bavaria. The Liberators, with Lightning escorts, which raided Augsburg, and the Flying Fortresses, which raided Innsbruck, met 100 fighters, of which they shot down 37 and probably destroyed another 22, says the British United Press Algiers correspondent. Flying Fortress crews reported many good bomb bursts across the railway areas at Innsbruck. The Augsburg attack was the second against Germany by the North-West African Air Force. The first was on October 1 when Flying Fortresses bombed the Munich area. Eleven bombers were lost in these two last raids.

Of the 11 bombers which failed to return to base, some are believed to be safe in friendly territory. The raids have confirmed recent predictions that the enemy would be bombed from two directions almost simultaneously. The heaviest attack was delivered by the Fortresses at Innsbruck, where many bursts were seen on '-.he railway yards. The liberators which dropped their bombs on Augsburg, 35 miles north-west of Munich, released their missiles through heavy clouds and then fought off the enemy fighters. Air Defences Taken by Surprise The Germans say that American heavy bombers attacked German territory at noon yesterday from the south, flying in from the Adriatic in bad visibility. Strong formations of German fighter 'and pursuit planes engaged them ov&r Northern Italy, the Alps and South Germany, the report says, and fierce air battles ensued, particularly at great heights over the Dolomites. The Innsbruck air defences were taken completely by surprise m an earlier raid by United States bombers says an eye-witness quoted by a news agency. Bombs crashed in the middle of the main station and marshalling yards, where many hundreds of goods wagons and several dozen locomotives were standing. Fifteen minutes later extensive fires were raging, and they spread to large international hotels near the main station. Twelve hours later railway officials announced that •'traffic was impossible over a stretch of the railway. It was learned that the damage at Bolzano far exceeded that at Innsbruck. With the abatement of Saturday night's Channel gale, the worst so far this winter, the Royal Air Force lost no time in renewing raids on the Continent, state Press messages from the coast. This afternoon Allied machines were heard roaring high over Dover Strait.