NAZI RAID NESTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 121, 18 November 1943, Page 5

NAZI RAID NESTS

ATTACKED BY ALLIES

AIRFIELDS NEAR MARSEILLES

■LONDON, November 17,

'The North-west African Air Forces took action yesterday against the increasing' German air attacks on our convoys in the western Mediterranean, which have become more frequent in recent weeks, especially off the African coast. ■ Heavy and medium bombers of the United States air force were detailed to smoke out two of the enemy's main nests—two airfields near * Marseilles. One is the main airport for Marseilles in peacetime. Both airfields were attacked by Fortresses for the first time last August when a large number of torpedo bombers were seen at one of the airfields. Fortresses arrived over one of the airfields shortly after midday yesterday. They hit hangars, workshops, warehouses, and parked aircraft. % One spectacular hit set off an ammunition dump. There was strong anti-aircraft fire. The dispersal area and workshops were well covered. ' At the other end of the Mediterranean, medium bombers were flying hundreds of miles to attack the Eleusis airfield near Athens, which was bombed on Monday by Liberators. Fires from the previous raid were still burning, and yesterday's attack started some new ones. Other medium bombers went to the Dalmatian coast to bomb Sebenik harbour. Two ships were shot up" off the Adriatic coast by fighter-bombers. Over the battle-front in Italy Allied fighter-bombers kept up steady pressure on the enemy. From all these operations three Allied aircraft are missing. Rec. noon. RUGBY, November 17. Important German air bases at Istres-le-Tupe and '■ Salon, near Marseilles, were badly damaged yesterday in a double attack by Fortresses and Marauders, according to a message from Allied headquarters. Large fires and flaming aircraft were seen on the ground. Twenty or thirty enemy fighters rose to meet the Fortresses over Istres, and 12 Messerschmitt 109's were shot down. The Marauders came over Salon a quarter of an hour later, and the enemy was able to muster only 15 fighters, of which one was shot down. Three Allied planes are missing from the two operations.—B.O.W. Rec. 12.40 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 17. The air raids against Istres and Salon mark a renewal of the Allied offensive against the German torpedobomber bases on the flank of the western Mediterranean shipping lanes, says Reuters Algiers correspondent. Large numbers of torpedo-bombers were seen concentrated on the Salon zone in the last raid against the southiem French bases last August.