SHUTTLE RAIDS ON EUROPE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 5

SHUTTLE RAIDS ON EUROPE

Effect On French Railways

TARGETS SWITCHED

LONDON, May 23.

A total of probnJbly more than 4000 Allied planes has attacked Germany and the occupied territories in the 12 hours since 10 o’clock last night, including about 750 American heavy bombers this morning, said the British United Press correspondent at a United States bomber base. It is estimated that the Allied planes dropped about 5750 tons of bombs on German factories rind railway facilities. The first bombers to return, from targets in western Germany reported that they had not seen a single enemy fighter. The French railway system is in.complete chaos, declared a Paris radio commentator. The Allies have successfully pulverized whole marshalling yards to rubble. They have destroyed countless numbers of locomotives and made scores of railway stations unusable. The rest of the destructive work which Allied pilots have been unable to do has been accomplished by experienced squads of saboteurs, who have blown up railway tracks and directed attacks against goods trains and other rolling stock. Saboteurs have also put out of action whole hydro-electric systems in France and blown up vital river locks. After a period of concentration against railway targets in France, tactical fleets of medium bombers and fighter-bombers were switched today against coastal radar and wireless centres. A shuttle was maintained hour after hour by hundreds of planes, ranging back and forth over the sea. Fisher folk and peasants waved encouragement from the beaches.

Mammoth* Escort. The greatest fighter force ever sent up on a single mission—more than 1000 planes—today provided escort for United States bombers on missions to France and Germany. Some of the fighters went down to strafe ground targets. The fighter pilots reported only scanty opposition. Targets attacked by Fortresses and Liberators today included railway yards at Epinal and Chaumont, and aerodromes at Andavord, Orleans, Bricy, Bourges, Etampes, Caen, Chateaudun. Aircraft of the Second Tactical Air Force attacked .targets in northern France, Holland and Belgium. Flight Sergeant Gibson, of Wellington, pilot of a Lancaster, commenting on the R.A.F. heavy bombers’, onslaught on Dortmund last night, said': “The enemy put up a very heavy barrage over Dortmund, with hundreds of searchlights. The German fighters dropped flares, and there were combats going on all round us. Though the enemy did everything he could to break up our concentration of bombers, it semed a very good attack. Though hundreds of bombers were involved in the attack against Dortmund, it lasted only 10 minutes. The last pilots returning from the target reported that it; was a vast area of- fire. The last' heavy KA.F. attack on Dortmund ocurred on the night of May 23, 1043, when 2000 tons of bombs caused great devastation. Many of Dortmund s factories have been rebuilt since the R.A.F.’s last heavy attack, and the Bomber Command decided that it was time to repeat the attack. . A Mosquito crew who bombed Ludwigshaven saw a very large explosion in the target area just before they left. the vicinity. Other targets attacked last night included: railway yards at Bethune and Meziers, and airfields at Beaumont-le-Roger, Chartres and Tours. The German news agency states that for 20 minutes last night German bombers in considerable strength made a concentrated attack on .port installations and other military targets at Portsmouth. A large quantity of high-explosive and incendiary bombs was dropped, causing widespread destruction.

ATTACK IN DAYLIGHT Heavy American Assault On Berlin LONDON, May 24. Very strong forces of American heavy bombers attacked Berlin today. The Germans say that strong bomber formations were also over Germany from the Mediterranean and that there were violent battles against the bombers crossing the Al R.’a.F. Mosquitoes last night attacked Berlin and also Dortmund, the main tarn get for the previous night. Others went for airfields in France and also laid mines. All returned. Thunderbolts, Lightnings and Mus tangs escorted the American bombers raiding Berlin and airfields in the 1 aris area, more than 1500 planes taking part in the operation. The German radio reported that fierce battles were raging over the Berlin area at noon. . There were no German raiders over Britain last night.