RHINELAND CENTRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1943, Page 5

RHINELAND CENTRE

AACHEN HEAVILY ATTACKED twenty bombers missing LONDON, July 14. Aachen, in the Rhineland, was heavily bombed by the Royal Air Force last night. Low cloud made it difficult to observe the results. Twenty bombers are missing from the raid. ■ Aachen, 40 miles south-west of Cologne, is an important coal and textile centre, but is still more important as a frontier railway junction linking Germany with France and the Low Countries. It was last bombed 18 ago. SMOKE FOUR MILES HIGH RUGBY, July 14. .A few hours after last night’s attack was over, smoke from fires burning at Aachen had risen to a height of four miles. This was the report of a reconnaissance pilot who flew over the town early this morning. Thick smoke was drifting away east of the town and stretched as far as the pilot could see. It was a heavy attack and there were a good number of 8000 pounders in the big load of high explosives and incendiaries. Nearly every aircraft in one squadron of Lancasters —the squadrons had more bombers operating last night than it had ever put out before—carried an 8000 pounder with incendiaries to make up the weight. The Germans depended almost entirely on night fighters to defend this important railway centre, through which traffic from the Ruhr is sent westwards, and products from France are sent to Germany. Searchlights around the town were handicapped because oi. cloud, and the flak was not heavy by German standards, but the weather along the most part of the route was ideal for night fighters. One pilot described it as “nigljt masquei - ading as day,” and there were combats all the way from the coast to Aachen and back again. To-day’s German communique says: The R.A.F. last night made a heavy - terror raid on Aachen, and greatly damaged residential quarters, destroyed public buildings and cuttural monuments. Aachen cathedral was hit. The population sustained heavy casualties.

FRENCH CENTRES BOMBED. RUGBY, July 14. It is officially announced that strong formations of the American Army Eighth Air Force of heavy bombers, and formations of R.A.B. fighter bombers and light bombers, attacked German aircraft installations in France to-day. A Fortress bombed the aircraft repair and assembly plants at Villa Coublay, an - craft factory and park at Le Boui - get and the airfield at AmiensGliscy The bombing results were good at all three targets. Fighter opposition was encountered particular - lv by the formations attacking Le Bourget and Villa Coublay. LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES. RUGBY, July 14. Early but incomplete i’ e P™rs claim that over 15 enemy fighteis were destroyed by Fortresses in raids on France to-day. . Typhoons attacked an an field at Abbeville and Triqueville. . R.A.l*. m?d Dominion fliers destroyed three Focke Wulf’s 190. Thunderbolts escorted one Fortress over its Target also destroying three Focke Wulf u Eight bombers and four fighteis 31 Coital 1 Commandl Beaufighter? today shot down an ME 111 over the North Sea. The enemy aircraft was last seen diving into the sea, breaking into bits as it went down. FORTRESSES’”BIG BAG ’RUGBY, July 14. Strong formations of Fortresses were out in raids on France to-daj. They were attacked by about enemy planes, of which they destieyed 45. Eight Fortresses were lost. The Fortresses attacked airfieldsat Le Bourget, Amiens and Abbeville. The fighters escorting them accounted for six enemy fighters m addition to those destroyed by the Fortresses. Four fighters were lost m a raid, on Abbeville, made by the FrenchLorraine Squadron, which celebrated Bastille Day with the first raid on the enemy. RAIDS ON ENGLAND. — f LONDON. July 14. German raiders made a sharp attack on a British north-oast coast town last night. A number of persons were killed and damage was done. , , Other raiders were, over eastern and south-eastern England Two , were shot down and a third was caught and destroyed over its base in Holland. The German News Agency says the Luftwaffe last night heavily raided Hull, and dropped bombs 01, all calibres in the harbour area. They also raided important military targets in the south-east ol England. HULL’S “TABLOID BLITZ” (Recd. 11.0 a.m.) t LONDON, July 14. Last night’s German raid on a north-east coast town, which Berlin says was Hull, is described as a “tabloid blitz.” The raiders swept over in swift succession and attacked with high-speed power dives. The raid was over in a few minutes and people making for shelters had to dodge through showers of incendiaries. Several public buildings were extensively. damaged and houses wrecked. At least 12 people were killed and many injured. JUNE CASUALTIES RUGBY, July 14. The Ministry of Home Security stated that 281 civilians were killed, or missing, believed killed, in an raids on the United Kingdom . in June; 284 were injured and detained in hospital.