PAS DE CALAIS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 5

PAS DE CALAIS

Shuttle Air Attack From Britain FRANKFURT RAID BY FORTRESSES (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) (Received February 9, 7 p.m.) LONDON, February 8. All types of battle planes were thrown into the daylight offensive today which began soon after daybreak and continued throughout the day without pause and stretched from the coast across the Channel 'deep into the Keich. It is officially announced that from all operations 12 heavy bombers, one medium bomber, one light bomber, two lighter-bombers and nine lighters are missing. Twenty-one enemy lighters were destroyed. , . . The Allied air fleets struck first against Frankfurt, which Flying Fortresses, escorted by long-range fighters, saturated for the third time in 10 days, secondly against the Pas de Calais, which was blasted by American Liberators, Marauders and R.A.F., Dominion aud Allied Bostons, Mitchells, Mosquitoes, Typhoons and Hurricanes. Great, fighter formations screened the cross-Ghannel bomber forces, which carried out at least nine assaults in the Pas de Calais alone, throughout the day, including one single attack by 200 Marauders. British and American planes filled the Channel sky all day. The shuttle at one time was incessant for two hours.

The Pas de Calais the department of France which lies behind Calais and Boulogne, and is the part of the Continent closest to Britain. Pilots described the armadas as a massive pattern and curtain across the sky, The Germans again conserved their lighters aud put up little opposition over the Pas de Calais, but guns were massed ia considerable strength along the coast. The Fortresses going to Frankfurt encountered- an unusual attack when 15 Focke-Wulfes flying in close formation waggled their wingtips, indicating that they were friendly planes. The Fortress pilots momentarily relaxed, whereupon the Focke-Wulfs roared in four abreast anjl poured in bullets for a full minute. One pilot said he feared the sudden attack knocked out some of the Fortresses.

On Monday night Mosquitoes of the Bomber Command attacked objectives in western Germany and intruders attacked airfields in northern France, states the Air Ministry. None of our aircraft was lost. Small offensive patrols by fighters over northern France led to the loss of two fighters.

ATTACK CONTINUES LONDON, February 9. Allied aircraft are continuing the heavy attacks, on enemy installations in northern France this morning. NO LONGER CAPITAL Key Departments Away From Berlin LONDON, February 8. Berlin has ceased to be the capital of Germany, says the political correspondeutof the “Daily Express.” Neutral diplomats who have special means for getting news from Germany report that all key Government, departments have left Berlin. They are now scattered in Breslau, Dresden, and Vienna. Nazi officials have not announced the evacuation for fear of pauic among Berliners.