RAIDS ON GERMANY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 May 1943, Page 6

RAIDS ON GERMANY

AMERICANS BOMB EMDEN

OTHER AREAS BLITZED

LONDON, May 16., United States Headquarters in Britain announces: “The largest force of heavy bombers dispatched to date over .Germany by the United States Bth Air Force attacked the large waterborne terminal and harbour installations at Emden and other targets in north-west Germany in daylight on Saturday. Good bombing results were observed in spite of adverse weather. Strong fighter opposition was encountered and many enemy fighters were destroyed or damaged by the bombers, which were unescorted. Squadrons of U.S.A.A.F. fighters carried out diversionary sweeps. Six bombers are missing.”. Saturday’s American bombing raid broke the record set up only yesterday by the daylight raids of Velsen, Kiel, Antwerp, and Courtrai. In the American raids on Friday a strong force of Liberators and Flying Fortresses flew 460 miles unescorted to attack the great German naval base at Kiel. Other heavy bombers attacked the General Motors plant at Antwerp, and a third formation bombed the large fighter airfield and repair depot at Courtrai. American medium bombers made their first raid from Britain, in low level attacks on industrial targets in Holland. All these medium bombers, which are of a type that cannot be disclosed, returned, although they flew unescorted. Good results are reported from all the raids. The Air Ministry says squadrons of fighters escorted and covered Mitchells, Bostons, and Typhoons attacking airfields at Caen and Poix without, loss on Saturday afternoon. Seven enemy fighters were destroyed by our fighters, six of which are missing. , On Saturday night, Fighter Command fighter-bombers attacked railway and other targets in France, the Low Countries, and western Germany. Mosquito bombers attacked targets in Berlin. Fighter Commandaircraft also attacked enemy ships off the French coast, hitting a supply ship. Coastal Command Hampdens operating off the Norwegian coast sank an enemy tanker with bombs and another with a torpedo. British, Dominion, American, and other Allied fighters which provided cover for the attacks on Courtrai and Antwerp shot' down 12 enemy fighters. and other enemy machines were destroyed by the bombers. From all the raids 11 bombers and four fighters are missing. Britain’s new Typhoon bomber is in the news. Machines of this type attacked a Nazi airfield 20 miles south-east of Le Havre. Spitfires attacked enemy shipping near Guernsey, and Mustangs of Army Co-oper-ation Command destroyed an enemy fighter. One Spitfire and one Mustang are missing. In an earlier sweep over France Spitfires shot down eight German fighters.

RUHR-BERLIN RAIDS.

LONDON. May 15

Royal Air Force bombers dropped the biggest tonnage of bombs yet on Europe, when they raided the Ruhr, Czechoslovakia, and Berlin on Thursday night. This attack followed the previous night’s raid on Duisburg, when 1500 tons, the heaviest load up till then, were dropped. More than 1000 tons of bombs were dropped on the Ruhr alone, the chief target being Bochum, an important arms and transport centre. Bochum’s war plants turn out high-grade steels, machine tools. guns._ and tanks, and. in addition, the city is the centre of a prolific coal-producing area. The raid was packed into three-quarters of an hour, during which time a huge pall of smoke covered the city. Fires were still burning there this morning when aircraft, which had raided Czechoslovakia, were on their way home. The target in Czechoslovakia has not yet been disclosed. The last big; raid in Czechoslovakia was on the Skoda arms works at Pilsen, a month ago. The raid on Berlin took place just after midnight, the lakes round the capital guiding aircraft to their target. Bombs were dropped in the western and south-western parts of the city. . “The raids on Germany .and Czechoslovakia were the most widespread Bomber Command has evercarried out,” states the aviation correspondent of the British United Press. “It is estimated that more than 4000 tons of bombs were dropped on enemy territory in 24 hours. The objectives included railway stations and junctions, munition factories, seaplane and land aeroplane • bases, shipping, harbours, communications, and iron and steel plants.” Miss E. Wilkinson M.P. in a speech revealed that an eight-thousand pound bomb cost £355.

OFFENSIVE CONTINUED

PvUGBY, May 16

The daylight air offensive on enemy occupied territories in Europe proceeds. Big formations swept over the Straits of Dover to-day. Early this morning, a strong force roared over Folkestone, and for several minutes were flying in the direction of Northern France. Later there was further activity to the east, high-fly-ing aircraft leaving long vapour trails, which offended for miles m unbroken lines, some left by outgoing formations, and others by returning planes. The Air Ministry states: ‘ln the course of offensive operations over Northern France to-day Mitchells and Venturas of the Bomber Command attacked enemy airfields at Caen and Morlaix. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed by our fighters. Typhoons of the Fighter Command bombed railway yards at ?ffx. Three fighters attacked railway targets and an enemv supply vessel off the coast. One of our fightersjs missing." BERLIN AGAIN AIRMEN’S BUSY NIGHT RUGBY, May 16. In one of their busiest nights for some time, Fighter Command Intruders and other long-range aircraft probed deep into enemy territory last night. Some penetrated as far as Berlin itself. Mosquitos, Typhoons, Beaufighters, Whirlwinds, and Bostons took part and the targets included trains, barges, lorries, and airfields in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany; also a convoy off the French coast near Cape Harfleur. A hit was scored on a 2500-ton tanker by a Whirlwind, whose pilot saw a sheet of flame rise WO feet and heard a terrific explosion. He claimed the I tanker as “seriously damaged.” | A Mosquito pilot who attacked a factory near Karlsruhe had one en- [ gine disabled and returned to Britain! on the other. “It was a remarkable i show for the aircraft,” he said, “and 1 am grateful to the men and women who built it so sturdily.” At Leewen two barges in a convoy were damaged, and another pilot saw hits on three of six near Dunkirk. A locomotive north of Thourout was left in a mass of flames, and two Canadian pilots damaged at least four trains. A barge was exploded by another Canadian, and two electric trains were stopped at Blois by an Australian in a Mosquito. He raked both with cannon fire and left them

burning. He next set a road transport vehicle on fire Another Mosquito pilot attacked four trains. Typhoon bombers attacked airfield buildings, rail sidings, huts, and barges, one pilot destroying three barges out of a string of seven. No British planes were lost in last night’s widespread R.A.F. raids on Berlin and the targets in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, It is officially annotinced that United States Thunderbolts, in two sweeps over occupied territory today, destroyed two enemy aircraft and damaged several others at the cost of one fighter missing.

RAIDS ON ENGLAND

LONDON, May 15

Raiders made a concentrated attack on a north-east coast town early to-day and dropped a considerable number of high explosive and incendiary bombs. Fires were started and houses and a number of buildings were burnt out. Others were damaged by bombs. A small number of raiders over another north-east coast town damaged houses. There were a number of casualties in both towns. A terrific barrage met the raiders. LATER.

An aircraft was destroyed off the south-west coast of England yesterday afternoon. Bombs were dropped in two districts in East Anglia before dark. There was some damage. A few enemy aircraft flew over the north-west coast of England after midnight, and dropped bombs in several places. There were casualties and damage) SUNDERLAND SHIPYARDS? (Recd. 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 16. A German communique claims that strong Luftwaffe forces last night dropped high explosives and incendiaries on the shipyard centre at Sunderland, causing considerable damage particularly to shipyards. Three planes did not return. CRICKET-FIELD DISASTER

LONDON, May 16. A plane crashed on a cricket field at Downside School near Bath while a junior match was progressing and killed nine boys and injured fourteen. The pilot died in the crash.

SQUADRON’S THOUSAND

LONDON, May 16.

A fighter squadron yesterday shot down three enemy aircraft, bringing their station total to one thousand, to which is attached a cash prize of at least £3OO, the result of a sweepstake organised by pilots who are drawn from Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, France, and other countries.