ROME SUBURBS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 64, 16 March 1944, Page 5

ROME SUBURBS

HEAVY AIR RAIDS

Smashing Of Railways Hard

Blow To Germans

British Official Wireless Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, Mar. 15. The Exchange Telegraph Company's correspondent at Allied headquarters in Italy says three waves of American Marauders, escorted by Spitfires, yesterday attacked the Prenestina railway yards in the eastern part of Rome. At Prenestina, the line from Florence joins the main line from Rome to the east coast and Pescara. A Jew enemy fighters were met and there was moderate anti-aircraft fire. Allied headquarters state that the Germans were struck a particularly hard blow with yesterday's big air attack on Prenestina railway yards in the eastern suburbs of Rome, one hundred railway cars, were destroyed and large sections oftne track torn up at several points m the yard. Buildings in Withing railway yard were also shattered. Orte and Terni railway yards were attacked by medium bombers yesterday. Medium bpmbers_ also struck at Piombino and Marina di Pisa. Fighter bombers attacked gun positions and troop, concentrations In the battle area. During, the day four enemy aircraft were destroyed. One of ours is missing. The Allies flew 900 sorties. Over the battle area 45 enemy aircraft were active.