TANKS AND TRUCKS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 187, 6 May 1944, Page 7

TANKS AND TRUCKS

Telling Destruction By R.A.F. DEPOT AT MAILLY (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) x LONDON, May 4. In last night’s raid heavy bombers of the RAF. dropped 1500 tons of bombs on concentrations of German tanks and lorries in the military depot at Mailly, 40 miles south-east of Rheims. Lancasters and Halifaxes made a deliberate precision attack on the target. Ground markers went down accurately in clear moonlight, and the bombaimers who came in after the pathfinders sent their bombs crashing down beside the markers. Soon a great pall of smoke rose over the whole depot, and great flames arose. This smashing blow against tanks which the enemy had stored up ready for action dovetails into the winter offensive carried out by British and American bombers on the factories where tanks and engines are made. An Air Ministry statemeat says that the cumulative effect is making it difficult for the Germans to replace tanks logt in battle. The importance the Germans attached to last night's main R.A.F. target in Europe, the military depot at Mailly, is shown bv the great number of fighters they sent up- Air reconnaissance had shown that the Germans bad built up. a large concentration of tanks and lorries there, and the depot had accordingly been placed high on the list of priority targets. Reinforcement of the night-fighter defences in the west is to be expected at this time of year, since the range of night bombing is being reduced by the lengthening days, states the Air Ministry. A pitched battle was fought over the target goon after the bombing bad begun, but the attack went on with unfaltering precision and the marking was deliberate and exact. The bombing was well concentrated round the target mtneators. Soon a pall of smoke covered the whole area and violent explosions were seen through the smoke, with flames bursting up. , , The fighters followed the bombers as they turned for home, and there were still more combats along the route. The aircraft stores and equipment at Montdidier, were attacked in equally clear weather, and the results were equally impressive, with masses of smoke and violent explosions in the target area. • After the ammunition dump at Chateaudun, 70 miles south-east of Paris, had been bombed, the whole countryside was lit up by a’violent orange'light, and there was a spectacular explosion, and other smaller explosions continued for 35 minutes. Heavy flak and many searchlights were encountered at-Ludwigshafen, where the chemical and explosive industry was attacked in a close concentration. Allied bombers and fighters have kept Germany and the occupied countries on the alert today. A group of American Fortresses raided an airfield in Holland and destroyed enemy aircraft. All the Fortresses got back safely. American Mustangs made a sweep over Germany, and a squadron leader took on in single combat the only enemy fighter they met. He shot it down.

The enemy sent up more than 100 fighters in defence of the airfield, and there was a fierce battle. The fighters escorting the bomber group shot down nine of the enemy fighters, while successfully turning them away from the bombers. Three Allied fighters were lost.

Waves of American Marauders and Havocs and R.A.F 1 . and Allied Mitchell bombers kept.up attacks again and again on military installations in northern France. R.A.F'. Typhoon fighter-bombers carried out an attack in the Abbeville area, v ' . " * Raid on Bucharest.

The correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph agency in Italy says that Bucharest last night had its first experience of night bombing when R.A.F. Hallfaxes, Liberators and 'Wellingtons attacked the railway yards, which are two miles long, and left rolling' stock and repair shops in flames. . This was Bucharest’s fifth raid. It is officially announced from Bucharest that 3400 people were.killed.in air raids in Bucharest in April, and 3300 injured. INTRUDER’S SWIFT BAG - LONDON, May 4. The British commander of a Mosquito squadron and his observer, flying over France last night, saw three Heinkels approach in formation. Each Heinkel was shot down. They then saw a fourth German bomber preparing to land and bagged it too. The four planes were shot down in six 1 minutes.