ARMIES IN NORMANDY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 149, 26 June 1944, Page 5

ARMIES IN NORMANDY

KEY POINTS

■ -.-. .LONDON, June 25. Because; of. Jic&v'y! cloud over Cherbourg and the Normandy beach areas today, Allied "medium and fighterbombers went deeper into France to carry on their tactical support for our armies. . The main target was the German transport system behind the battle-front.

The bombers attacked seven key points* on the electric railway between Paris and Orleans, and cut the main railway line between Chartres and Nantes at four points. They also attacked German fuel dumps inland from the Cherbourg Peninsula and as far south as Toulouse.

American Liberators and Fortresses went for four airfields near Toulouse and south of Paris, and R.A.F. Halifaxes and Lancasters attacked flyingbomb sites in northern France. Ten of these sites were attacked by more than 1000 heovy • bombers between last evening and early'this morning. '• Later today 'another force" of Lancasters and Halifaxes, and still more Liberators, made further atta-ks on military installations in. the Pas de Calais. So far these targets have not been named.

German air opposition to the day's operations was sporadic on the whole. Fighters escorting the heavy bombers shot down 19 German aircraft. Fighter-bombers fought six separate engagements and destroyed 25 aircraft, making a total of 44. Twentysix American aircraft have been lost —13 heavy bombers, nine fighterbombers, and four fighters. The R.A.F. lost 23 bombers during the nipht. COMMUNICATIONS ATTACKED. Rec. 9. a.m. " tONDCiN,-June 25. |

A SHAEF communique says: "Taking advantage Of improved weather, our air forces were out in great strength yesterday afternoon and evening, concentrating largely on the enemy communications system. Fighters and fighter-bombers attacked railway yards, tracks, bridges, tunnels, and rollingstock in the belt at the base of the Cherbourg Peninsula, ranging from Granyille and Avranches in the west to Saint Lo on the Vire River. Similar attacks were made on targets more distant from 'the battle zone, including. rolling-stock in the yards at ! Dreux and various points in the Chartres region. Fighter-bombers also bombed steelworks at Ijmuiden, iin Holland. Our fighters destroyed at least 30 enemy planes on airfields in the Angers area. Medium bombers attacked a railway bridge over the Seine at Maisons Laffitte and the railway centres of Beauvais and Hazebrouck and also bombed dumps in the forest of Conches and at Bruz and Bagnoles de l'Orne. Heavy bombers attacked a number of electrical switching stations near Boulogne. Attacks were continued on flying-bomb sites. Light bombers last night attacked railway and road transport behind the battle area, including the railway yards at Mezidon. Our night, fighters destroyed five enemy planes over northern France." Rec. 11.30 a.m. RtTGBY, June 25. Spitfires of the Second Tactical Air Force escorted Bomber Command Lancasters and Halifaxes to hit flyingbomb bases in the Pas de Calais area this morning.

Meanw.hile, rolling-stock in. the Mezidon railway yards was set on fire by rocket Typhoons, which scored hits on trucks, tracks, and the railway station. Other bomb-carrying fighters attacked other key transport points, including crossings at Conches and Verneuil.