ROUEN BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1943, Page 5

ROUEN BOMBED

ENEMY LOSSES HEAVY MANY FIGHTERS DESTROYED RUGBY, March 8. A big Allied air success in Northern France and Brittany is announced in a communique stating that Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the Eighth Air Force attacked Rouen in daylight to-day in the face of strong enemy opposition. The Fortresses bombed successfully a target in Rennes and the Liberators overcame very strong fighter opposition to bomb the objectives in Rouen. The weather conditions were very good over both targets. Preliminary reports indicate that over a score of enemy fighters were destroyed in persistent encounters. The bombers were escorted and covered by Allied fighters. Many combats took place in the course of which five more enemy aircraft were destroyed. Four bombers and two fighters are missing. T t , The Air Ministry states: Last night mines were laid in enemy waters. Two of our bombers are missing. The Berlin radio says that British planes were over Heligoland Bight on Sunday night, but no bombs were dropped. ANOTHER ATTACK RUGBY, March 8. Press messages from the Channel Coast state that a strong force of R.A.F. bombers flew out over the Straits of Dover to-night. Some time after nightfall, bombers started going out, and for about an hour the roar of planes was heard continuously in south-east coast districts, as they flew towards the French coast. The weather is fine in the Straits, with a star-lit sky. RAIDS ON ENGLAND. LONDON, March 8. The Germans lost three bombers in scattered raids across the south coast of England last night. The raiders came over the coast one at a time. One of them flew near enough to London to set the sirens going, but it sheered off without dropping its bombs. In parts of southern England there was a fair amount of scattered bombing, but it was nowhere very heavy. Only a few persons are reported to have been hurt. LATER. Casualties suffered in last night's scattered German air-raids on southwest England included one person killed. The three enemy aircraft destroyed were one HEI77, four-en-gined bomber, and two DO2l7’s. N.Z. AIRMEN’S GOOD WORK WELLINGTON, March 9. Appreciation of New Zealand s war effort and of the quality of her fighting personnel has made New Zealanders welcome everywhere overseas, and this has greatly facilitated any negotiations or arrangements between New Zealand _ and overseas authorities. This opinion, based on his personal experience, was voiced in an interview this morning by Air Commodore L. M. Isitt, who recently returned from a three years’ tour of duty overseas. Air Commodore Isitt said he had been deeply impressed by the warm feelings with which the people in Britain. Canada, and the United States regarded the Dominion and by the admiration which he had heard expressed everywhere lor the manner in which the Dominion had undertaken her war responsibilities. He bad found, also, that the exploits oi our troops in the Middle East and o our naval and air personnel had created a most favourable impression in both the public mind and official Commenting on the Empire Ah Training Scheme, he said it had been an outstanding success and undoubtedly had played a vital part m securing Allied air superiority, lhe excellent standard of the New Zealand trainees sent to Canada had been maintained, and our* men had established a well-deserved reputation for hard work and reliability. Generally speaking, he said oui men were very happy in Canada, and it was not 'the fault of the Canadian people if New Zealand personnel did not feel at home. , . Sneaking of New Zealand airmen in Britain, Air Commodore Isitt said that the men in three fighting squadrons, two bomber squadrons, and one Coastal Command squadron weie doing a grand job. The reputation loi thoroughness and reliabih y which tlm trainees had gamed in Canacta was more than maintained ppei atinnal work. The welfare ol New Zealanders was well catered for from the time they arrived m the Unwed K On d h?‘ way back to New Zealand from London Air Commodore Isiß visited R.N.Z.A.F. units on variou., islands. The operational Pertormances of the New Zealand imih in the New Hebrides and Solomons areas had been excel lent, and appreciation of their work had been expressed by senior officers m Wash ington and the Pacific. ARRIVALS IN ENGLAND (Recd. 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Mr. Jordan, accompanied by Group Captain A. J. Manson, R.N.Z.A.F., recently visited an R.A.F -receptor centre where he welcomed a fuithei l-uoe draft of R.N.Z.A.F. officers and men to the United Kingdom. The New Zealanders had received preliminary training in Canada.