COLOGNE HEAVILY BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23588, 16 March 1942, Page 5

COLOGNE HEAVILY BOMBED

R.A.F. NIGHT AND DAY RAIDS ENEMY FIGHTERS ROUTED OFF FRENCH COAST (Received March 15, 10 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON. March 15. An Air Ministry communique says: •'Our bombers were over western Germany in force on Friday night, with Cologne as their main objective. A great weight of high-explosive bombs was dropped and manv large fires were left burning. - .... “Aerodromes in the occupied territory were also attacked during the night and mines were laid in enemy waters, Four of our bombers are missing.” Another communique says: Our fighters on Friday afternoon carried out offensive operations on a large scale over northern France. A small force of bombers was escorted to Hazebrouck. where the railway yards were bombed. Our 'fighters destroyed eight enemy fighters in combat, five during a preliminary sweep of the target area, and three, more during an unsuccessful attack by the enemy on our returning bombers. Five of our fighters are missing from these operations, and a sixth is missing from an offensive patrol later in the day. On Sunday, Royal Air Force fighters, in sweeps off the French coast, routed German fighters. One Royal Air Force squadron encountered 10 Messerschmitts, eight of which were destroyed in terrific dog-fights in and out of the clouds. Not a single British pilot received a scratch. A New Zealander, Pilot Officer Allen, shpt down one enemy aeroplane, and another New Zealander, Sergeant Edwards, shared in the destruction of another. Earlier, it was officially stated that, in a series of engagements over the Channel on Saturday morning. Royal Air Force fighters destroyed nine Messerschmitt 109 machines without loss to themselves. Another Messerschmitt was destroyed during a sweep in the afternoon,, making 10 enemy fighters destroyed without loss to the Royal Air Force. ~ _ In the raid over northern France, one wing led by Group Captain Beamish, D.5.0., and Bar, D.F.C., went in over the target ahead of the bombers and swept the area almost clear of German fighters. Then, when the bombers with fighter escort arrived, the greatest part of the air fighting was over. , . . This was the first operation in which Squadron Leader Paddy Finucane, D.5.0., • D.F.C. and Double Bar, the famous British ace, had taken part* since he was wounded a week or two ago. He celebrated his return to the squadron by destroying two aeroPl An official warning to Frenchmen of the “V” Amy to get away from factories vital to the Nazis’ war industry was given by Colonel Britton, organiser of the “V” campaign, in his weekly broadcast last night. “The Royal Air Force,” he said, “will again in a short while bomb factories which are giving valuable aid to Nazi Germany. These attacks are necessary. Britain cannot allow the uninterrupted production of arms and munitions for use by the Nazis.” •Attacks would be continued on Germany itself, as in the last week, but attacks would also be made on factories outside Germany. Frenchmen of the “V” Army were warned to get away from such factories, “right away into the country.” Figures for civilian casualties in the United Kingdom from air raids during February, which the Ministry of Home Security' announced to-day, bear witness to the continued lightness of German air activity over Britain. Twentytwo persons were killed and 21 injured persons are in hospital. Britain’s 100,000 regular auxiliary firemen, who are forced into idleness by the lull in air raids, are seeking part-time war work in order to increase production for war needs. Delegates of the London firemen have passed a resolution urging .the Minis try for Home Security to institute a scheme for such work.

“GERMAN DEFEAT INEVITABLE”

BENES PREDICTS CLIMAX IN 1943 LONDON, March 14. 'T know for an absolute certainty from Berlin itself that the German military leaders believe that only a miracle can save Germany," said Dr. Edward Benes, President of the Provisional Czech Government, broadcasting to Czechs on the eve of the third anniversary of the German entry into Prague. . ... Recounting Germany’s mistakes, culminating in the “tatal blunder oi thinking she could destroy Russia ' m six weeks, he added: “Now, finally, they are staking all on a single card—their coming spring offensive against Russia. This will in its ultimate results be their final disappointment. Even though I expect with certainly some successes for them at the beginning of the offensive, I count with equal certainty on events this autumn which will herald to us the approaching inevitable crisis and catastrophe for the whole German military and political system. The climax of this crisis can scarcely come later than the spring of 1943, and Japan will be defeated by the fall of Germany. “I myself desired that the war should .'have broken out in September, 1938, before Munich. I counted' on Hitler’s provoking it. I prepared accordingly, but the rest of Europe, especially the western democracies, did not understand the situation in 1938, and were not prepared for war. I saw that it would have been a mistake for us to embark on a defensive war against the Germans alone. “We were forced to make a sacrifice which is perhaps unique in history. We ransomed peace for the world with a piece of flesh from our own body. It is again only part of the laws of this war that the weakness and errors of France, and of Poland, and other Central European States, were paid for so heavily and are still being paid for; but in its laws lies also our resurrection. We have not so long to wait now.”

GAS WARFARE BY GERMANY

REPORTED PREPARATIONS FOR SPRING ANKARA, March 14. Travellers from the Balkans claim that Germany is preparing to wage chemical warfare in the spring. Production of poison gas in German and Austrian factories was stepped up during the winter. A new poison gas plant has been opened in Bulgaria.