NAZI RAILWAY CENTRES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 206, 29 May 1944, Page 5

NAZI RAILWAY CENTRES

Cross-Channel Raids ROCKET-PLANES IN USE BY R.A.F. (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 28, 8.30 p.m.) RUGBY, May-27. Up to 2000 United States aircraft—“very strong forces” of Liberators and Fortresses escorted by Mustangs. 'J bunderbolts and Lightnings “in very great strength”—crossed the Channel again today in perfect ■weather. The targels, says a communique, were railway yards at Ludwigshaven, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Saarbrucken, Konzkarthaus and Neunkirchen, in south-western Germany, railway yards and aircraft-en-gine repair factories at Strasbourg and Metz, in France. . R.A.F. and Allied Mustangs flew supporting sweeps. Some of the bomber formations encountered fighter opposition and others none. The bombers claimed the destruction of 13 enemy aircraft ami the fighters 36. Twenty-four bombers and seven fighters were lost. Medium and light fighter-bombers and fighters of the Ninth Air Force today ended a week of furiously-increasing activity, in which bombers made 1950 individual attacks and fighters 4800 against targets in Europe. The figure tor the fighters is not only a record for the Ninth Air Force, but probably stands as the greatest number of fighters anywhere ever thrown against the enemy. It is officially announced that more than 300 Marauders and Havocs took part in both the afternoon and evening attacks on France. Eleven failed to return from a total of more than 600. Pilots reported that railway traffic had been brought to a standstill. ... , , . The R.A.F. after midnight bombed targets in the Boulogne area. Flares were seen falling between Cape Gris Nez and Boulogne, after which there were violent explosions for 15 minutes, which shook Folkestone and other towns on the English side of the Channel. In a raid early this afternoon. Marauders heavily attacked four important railway bridges in northern France, reporting the destruction of one span and serious damage to another. At the same time Havocs were attacking the railway yards at Amiens, 81 miles from Paris, from these attacks, in each of which more than 300 bombers took part, four Havocs are missing. Heavy flak was reported in all the target areas, but only one enemy plane was sighted. Strafing Hunt.

All day long attacks were made today by medium bombers, fighters and R.P. (rocket projectle-carrying) ■ Typhoons on airfields, wireless installation, transport targets and other military and industrial objectives in France, the Low Countries and Germany. Of the American fighters engaged in escorting bombers and in a strafing hunt which took them as far as Coblenz, in Prussia, only one, a Thunderbolt, failed to return. More than 700 took part from the United States Ninth Air Force alone. No enemy aircraft would challenge the strafers, who destroyed 16 locomotives and two military lorries and attacked a factory as well as flak and gun emplacements near Dieppe. British, French and Dutch Mitchells and Bostons bombed airfields at Cormeille, Creil and. Evreux. Their Spitfire escort met no fighter opposition and had leisure to record excellent bombing results on all targets. , Similar aircraft with Spitfires and Typhoons and escorted by Spitfires attacked military targets in northern France in the evening. Fighters returning from bomb or rocket attacks on military installations made ground strafing attacks on at least two locomotives, a military train and German Army road transport. One squadron of Spitfires dived from several thousand feet to rake with cannon and machinegun fire three barges and a tug near Caudebec. Cutting Supplies to Italy. More than 750 Fortresses and Liberators flew to the south of France yesterday and bombed important targets, including Lyons and Nice, and they also bombed aii important railway bridge. The Liberators’ targets included an area north-west of Lyons, and Grenoble, to the south-east The object of these attacks was to cut the lines on which the Germans have been moving supplies and troops to Italy, and the results of the bombings are said to have been highly satisfactory. Vichy radio stated that Allied planes bombed Lyons, St. Etienne and Chambery yesterday. Vast fires were caused in the centre of Lyons and 300 people were killed and 2000 rendered homeless in one suburb, the radio said. Nearly 1000 people were killed at St. Etienne, part of which was completely razed. Great Havoc Wrought. Aircraft-fired rockets Have been used with deadly effect in the past week by Typhoon fighters in northern France and the Low Countries, where they have wrought great havoc among locomotives, railway yards. crossings and general facilities, says British Official Wireless. Pilots who have used these weapons think they have great possibilities.. Rockets have also played a big part this week in attacks on Germany’s heavily concreteprotected gun emplacements, wireless installations and other targets of vital military importance. Rockets are also used by the Coastal Command in attacks on shipping and last Thursday a 600-ton coaster was left sinking by the bows off Ostend after one salvo of rockets. The pilot who in many successful sorties has used this weapon said that when he presses the button of the guns and cannon he feels a terrific vibration, and it is said that as much as 30 miles an hour may be knocked off the speed by recoils. There is nothing of this sort when rockets are fired for they leave smoothly without jar. They travel at a tremendous pace and strike with terrific force. ‘