CENTRAL RUHR RAIDED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23997, 12 July 1943, Page 5

CENTRAL RUHR RAIDED

Heavy Attack By R.A.F. TERRIFIC ENEMY BARRAGE • (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 10. "The German defences put up one of the fiercest barrages since the Battle of the Ruhr began when our bombers made a very heavy attack on the central Ruhr, Including Gelsenkirchen, last night,” states the Air Ministry. “The night was too dark for 'full observation, but it is known that heavy damage was done and many large fires were started. “Night fighters were much less numerous than usual and the Germans relied more on the terrific barrage. One Lancaster caught in the barrage after it had bombed the target was blown upside down twice in as many minutes, but returned home safely. “Huge four-engined bombers were rocked like cradles and the crews often thought their aircraft had been . hit when in fact shells were exoloding nearby. “Several enemy fighters were damaged and possibly destroyed. We lost 10 bombers.” Spitfires and Typhoons of Fighter Command to-day carried out wide sweeps over enemy airfields in North-

ern France and also escorted Royal Australian Air Force Venturaa to bomb St. Omer.

Typhoons of the New Zealand Fighter Squadron shot up enemy aircraft on the ground at Bernay. The New Zealand airmen saw ground crews dive for cover as the Typhoons opened fire and also saw cannon shells hitting enemy fighters.

Typhoon fighters escorting Typhoon bombers attacking Maupertus airfield did not see a single enemy fighter. All our fighters returned from these operations but at least two enemy fighters -'ere destroyed in the air.

Caen was visited by the largest of several United States Army Air Force bomber formations which attacked widely separated enemy bases in France to-day. The crews were amazed by the lack of fighter opposition at Caen where the opposition is usually stiff. The Fortresses attacking Abbeville did not see a single fighter. At least 12 persons, probably including several children, are believed to have been killed when a cinema theatre in a town in south-east England was directly hit in a daylight raid on Friday. There were 184 persons in the theatre.

The majority of the raid casualties in the town occurred in the cinema, but a few were killed and injured in business premises. The identification of the theatre victims is still proceeding. It is believed that the last body has been recovered from the wreckage.

Scottish Woman’s 23 Children.—Dr. G. O. Taylor, of Peterhead, refers in the British Medical Journal to a woman patient, aged 53, from a Scottish rural district, who has had S0 children, but is still fit for daily wot* in the fields. —London, July 10,