DEEP INTO CONTINENT

Evening Star, Issue 25169, 8 May 1944, Page 3

DEEP INTO CONTINENT

U.S. MARAUDERS ATTACK RAILWAY YARDS DETERMINED OPPOSITION ENCOUNTERED (Rec. 11 a.nU RUGBY. May 7. The roar of aircraft wa% almost continuous over the Channel coast. Beating off determined attacks by fighters after their bomb run, United States Marauders flew their deepest penetration into the Continent to strike at the railway centre of MezieresCharleville, 135 -miles inside France. Simultaneously smaller forces of Marauders attacked the railway, yards at Aerschot-Malines. Belgium, thus completing 20 attacks in the last 30 days oh railway junctions in Northern France and Belgium. The Marauders were pulling away from Mezieres-Charleville after the attack, when they were attacked from below by a swift striking formation of M.E. 109's and F.W. 90's. One Marauder was shot down before the escort of Lightnings and Spitfires put the enemy fighters to rout. Three Allied fighters are missing.

This was the first determined opposition the Marauders have met since February 25, when they fought a swarm of fighters over an airfield in Holland. The Marauder crews reported that the bombs fell in a triangle of repair sheds and railway tracks, and left the whole target area blanketed with smoke and flames.

United States heavy bombers and fighters attacked military targets in France and Holland every day during the week ended May 6. With marshalling yards and aerodromes as the principal targets, there were over 1,700 bomber sorties and 2,100 fighter sorties flown. Eleven aircraft were shot down by the bombers. The fighters destroyed 31 in combat. An additional number of planes were destroyed on the ground and on the water by strafing. Five Unitedi States bombers and 10 fighters failed to return.

Havocs of the United States Ninth Air Force this morning attacked railway centres in France. They were escorted by Lightnings and Spitfires. Mitchells of the Second Tactical Air Force bombed railway yards at Serqueux, near Rouen.