BLITZ ON BERLIN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 121, 17 February 1944, Page 5

BLITZ ON BERLIN

New Record Bomb-Load Dropped By R.A.F.LONDON, February 1 6. Aircraft of Bomber Command took part last night in the heaviest attack yet delivered on Germany, flying in all operations more than 1 000 sorties, according to an Air Ministry communique. The main objective was Berlin where 2500 tons of bombs were dropped—a heavier weight than in any previous attack on any target in' the whole air war< The crews of Mosquitoes which were over Berlin after the raid report a very large area of fire.

Lancasters in ade a feint attack on Frankfurt-on-Oder, 50 -miles east of Berlin. Mosquitoes were over western Germany and Holland. Forty-five aircraft are missing. The last big raid on Berlin was on the night of January 30, but Mosquitoes have dropped bombs on the German capital several times since. ' A pilot told a correspondent after the raid that “the flak was pretty light on the way over, but at the target it was pretty fierce.” He said the raid was over in 20 minutes. .

U.S. AIR FLEET Pulverizing Raids On France (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 15. More than 200 American A.A.F. Marauders. breaking into approximately a dozen separate formations when they had

crossed the Channel, delivered running attacks on military objectives in northern France on Monday morning, with what the crews described as pulverizing results. . . . Flying their eleventh mission m the first 15 days in February, the Marauders crossed the French coast in one powerful fleet, and then struck out to attack separate objectives. In all, the medium bombers put up a 40-minute bombardment. Almost simultaneously, R.A.F. Typhoon fighter-bombers were diving to attack other military objectives in northern France. The Typhoons, all of which returned safely, reported that they encountered no enemy fighters. The Marauder crews also reported a continued' absence of enemy aircraft but in the French coastal area they flew through a fierce storm of flak while attacking their targets. Liberators, Mitchells, Bostons, and Typhoons also attacked military objectives in northern France. The Liberators were escorted by R.A.F. and Australian Snitfires, and the medium bombers by R.A.F'. and Allied fighters.