HEAVY RAID ON BUCHAREST

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24226, 6 April 1944, Page 5

HEAVY RAID ON BUCHAREST

Allies’ First Attack On City RAILWAY YARDS DAMAGED (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, April 5. Allied air power in the Mediterranean was turned yesterday against Bucharest, capital of Rumania.. A big force of Liberators and Flying Fortresses, escorted by Thunderbolts and Lightnings, flew from Italy to give Bucharest its first blitz attack of the war.

Correspondents at Allied Headquarters say that reconnaissance photographs show considerable damage to the main railway yards in Bucharest. An engine-shed was hit, and five of the main buildings were left blazing. A block of warehouses 500 yards long was set on fire. Three bottlenecks in the yards received direct hits. Smoke blanketed a third of the city area. The bombers and their fighter escort shot down 49 of 200 enemy fighters which came up to intercept. To-day’s Allied communique from Italy reports that the Bucharest railway yards and repair shops were well covered by the attack. Twelve Allied aircraft are missing from all yesterday’s operations from Italy, including the Bucharest raid. It is confirmed that on Sunday the enemy lost 116 aircraft. The Allied air forces yesterday flew 1400 sorties, to an enemy equivalent of nine sorties.

The Official German News Agency says that violent air battles occurred oyer Bucharest. The raiders dropped high-explosives and incendiaries, which damaged residential districts. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy says that Russian aeroplanes have bombed the city twice previously, but this is Bucharest’s first Allied raid from the western theatre.

Reuter points out that Bucharest is one of the railway key points through which the Germans are feeding and reinforcing their armies fighting on the Rumanian frontier about 200 miles north-east of Bucharest. The Vichy radio reports that Allied aeroplanes yesterday morning bombed Temesvar, about 25 miles from Hungary, in western Rumania. Budapest Raid "The great Mannfred Weiss steel works and armament factory was the Budapest target for a heavy force of Royal Air Force Liberators' and Wellingtons last night,''' says Reuter's correspondent in Naples. "They poured bombs on the city's military and industrial installations only a few hours after the smashing American daylight blows. The Royal Air Force machines | left at least five great fires burning in the target area, and caused one large explosion. "Reconnaissance photographs show that the American daylight raiders dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on the Budapest railway yards, also on the Tokol aircraft components factory and a nearby airfield, an oil refinery, barracks, and warehouses. Intense flak failed to stop the attackers. It is expected that the damaged railway yards will immediately affect the transfer of German troops and supplies to the Russian front. The night attack by the Royal Air Force on Budapest has been followed by a speeding up of the puppet government's scheme for the evacuation of the city, and there is to be a big clearing out of the population. Those with places of their own to go to have to start leaving Budapest and its neighbourhood to-morrow. Those for whom the authorities have to make arrangements will begin leaving on Friday. SOVIET ATTITUDE TO RUMANIA BRITAIN WELCOMES STATEMENT MR CHURCHILL REPLIES TO QUESTION (8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 4. The Russian Government's attitude about the independence of Rumania has undoubtedly made a good impression on Britain. It reinforces the impression made by their moderation and restraint in dealing with Finland, and it comes at a timely moment. Anxiety has been expressed in some quarters lately about the co-ordination of policy among the three major Allies, and Mr Churchijl was asked in the House of Commons to-day whether the machinery for consultation set up last year was working satisfactorily, in view of the recent Russian advances.

Mr Churchill replied- that Mr Molotov’s declaration on Rumania was particularly satisfactory. The Russian. Government had sent Britain a copy of the statement beforehand, and Britain had expressed her admiration for it. “I am sure it is likely to be of great help in the problems of our common war effort,” said Mr Churchill. “The Times” says; “Mr Churchill’s statement disposes of German insinuations about dissension within the Allied ranks. An assurance is seen in the Russian declaration that, great as the errors are which the satellites have committed, and great as is the harm they have done, there is nevertheless a future for them in the new Europe if they are resolute enough to throw off the voke. The alternative is to pay the full price of the German defeat.” Summing up the Russians’ attitude towards the Rumanians, a commentator in “Red Star” says: “We do not confuse the small Rumanian thieves with the millions of Prussian, Saxon, and Bavarian bandits who came to us for living space. At the same time we remember the .Rumanian deeds at Odessa and Sebastopol. The jackal shall receive his due.”

Discharges Ftom U.S. Army—The United States War Department has announced’ that the Army has discharged 1,058,000 men between December, 1941, and January 81, 1944.—Washington, April 4. Japanese Fleet Movements.—The Chungking radio has announced that a fleet of Japanese warships from Foochow harbour sailed Southwards iyesterday morning—London, April 4,.