STRIKING AT LUFTWAFFE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 165, 10 April 1944, Page 5

STRIKING AT LUFTWAFFE

Fierce Battle Over Brunswick

PLANE PLANTS HIT

(British Official Wireless.) (Received April 9, 8.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, April 8.

The headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Air Force states: "Liberators and Fortresses attacked two aircraft plants at Brunswick and other important "aerodromes in the north Ruhr. The attack was co-ordinated with a sweep by Eighth Air Force Lightnings and Thunderbolts against aerodromes _ in the Frankfurt area. The objectives were bombed visually with good results. The aerodromes attacked were tlie Oldenburg lighter and night-fighter base and the Schmer air repairs base. “The bombers encountered no fighter opposition as the Luftwaffe concentrated its strength to protect Brunswick where fierce air battles were fought. Our fighter support destroyed one enemy aircraft, and numbers of enemy planes were snot down by the bombers. The enemy s determined opposition and heavy flak resulted in the loss of 30 bombers. Some of the fighter escort also destroyed a number of enemy aircraft on the ground. A later report says that in all today s operations, the fighters destroyed 9-. enemy aircraft in the air as well as others destroyed or damaged on the ground. Thirty-four bombers and 2o fighters are missing. R.A.F. Mustangs which took part in escorting the fighters attacked a wide variety of targets as they returned over Germany. They strafed three signal boxes, two steam tugs, 21 factories, some military trucks and motor barges, two airfields, hangars, water-towers, camoufleged gun emplacements, two gasometers, a dredger, two camps, three sets of railway installations, a flak tower, and gun post. Only one Mustang failed to return. Canadian Spitfire Raid. An R.C.A.F. squadron of the Second Tactical Air Force flew Spitfire fighterbombers from Britain for the first time to make diving attacks on military objectives. The attack was made with great accuracy in the Touraine area, planes releasing bombs from 4000 feet. As they turned homeward, the pilots saw smoke columns rising IGOO feet. Bombing together for the first time, Marauders and Thunderbolt lighterbombers of the Ninth U.S. Air Force early this afternoon joined in a powerful attack on the railway centre of Hasselt, in Belgium, an important junction on the Antwerp-Maastricht-Aaehen line. Almost simultaneously, a smaller formation of Marauders, with a Thunderbolt escort, struck at Coxyde airfield, on the Belgian const. No enemy aircraft came up to challenge attacking forces and none of the bombers or fighters is missing. In all, more than 200 medium bombers struck out over the Channel during the noon hours to attack these targets. The crows reported that the action was particularly successful, as bombs crashed into wagon and locomotive repair sheds and the track junction at Hasselt. After the Marauders had completed their attack, the escorting Thunderbolts dived 8000 feet through clouds and a column of smoke to blast an ammunition dump and other installations. The Marauder task force which attacked Coxyde reported that shops and buildings were left on fire and hits were scored on the runways. There were no attacks on Britain. SOVIET PLANES RAID EAST PRUSSIA (Received April 9, 9 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. Russian planes on Thursday night bombed Rossitten, in east Prussia, says the German news agency. The Swiss radio says it is reported from Riga that the raiders caused great damage and killed 100 civilians at Rossitten. The British United Press says that one of the oldest schools for German glider pilots is situated at Rossitten.