MUCH DAMAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 5

MUCH DAMAGE

SALONIKA AERODROME

RAID BY HEAVY BOMBERS (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 12.20 p.m. LONDON, June 25. A Cairo air communique states that United States heavy bombers yesterday attacked Sedes Aerodrome, at Salonika, in daylight, and set fire to three hangars, hit, buildings and dispersal areas,"" and started oil fires. They destroyed, at least three aircraft on the ground. None of the planes is missing. The main objective of the raid against Secies was to wipe out the air training centre, which the Germans have been using as their mam supply base in the Mediterranean, says the Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain. They have strongly built up. and enlarged the air facilities in this area, and at least five aerodromes are operating, including a seaplane station. Sedes is described as a first-class air base, and is the largest and most important of these bases. The raid involved a round trip of 1100 miles. > , A The destruction was so extensive that the field is likely to be unserviceable for a long time. Pilots reported wide destruction to hangars, repair shops, barracks, and administration buildings. The attack apparently caught the enemy unawares. VERY LIGHT GROUND DEFENCES. Although the area was regarded as being heavily defended, it being the keypoint of Rommel's new "Siegfried Line" in south-eastern Europe, the ground defence was extremely light, and no enemy fighters went up. ; Thousands of pamphlets bearing an encouraging message to the Greeks were dropped by the American planes. Reuters Cairo correspondent says: "Roaring over the target in two waves, the Liberators blanketed the aerodrome with direct hits. Three large hangars were blown up. A string of bombs also fell over the dispersal areas, which were so covered with dense smoke that the pilots were able to see only three planes destroyed. It is known that there was a concentration of enemy planes at Sedes, and therefore it is possible that a great many others were destroyed." The Columbia broadcasting system's Algiers correspondent reports that about 300 planes participated in a raid against 'Sardinia yesterday. It was an ail-American show, while Marauders plastered railways and Lightnings had a spectacular running fight with large formations of Messerschmitts, 20 of which were destroyed. Nine of our planes are missing. Other bombers attacked Sicily.