RAIDS ON GERMANY

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 September 1943, Page 5

RAIDS ON GERMANY

FIGHTER OPPOSITION HEAVY

TWENTY-SIX BOMBERS LOST RUGBY, September 23. An R.A.F. raiding < force of hundreds, including many • four-engined giants, made a highly concentrated 30-minute blitz on Hanover, last night. There was heavy opposition. Enemy fighters were waiting for otir bombers far out and also over the target. High above the bombers German planes dropped flares to help the Messerschmitts and Junkers waiting for a chance to pounce. German ground gunners played a minor role. Several German night fighters were shot down. »

Other R.A.F. bombers attacked Oldenburg (west of Bremen) and Emden, while fighters attacked airfields in Germany and Holland. Twenty-six bombers and one fighter failed to return.

Berlin radio stated: R.A.F. planes raided northern and north-west Germany on Wednesday night. Berlin was among the targets, but the night-fighters and the ground defences prevented the raiders from reaching the objectives. NANTES AGAIN BOMBED. RUGBY, September 23. United States Bth Air Force Fortresses, escorted by Thunderbolts, this afternoon attacked docks and shipyards at Nantes tor the second time to-day, and Marauders, escorted by Spitfires, attacked the airfield of Beauvaistille. •/ AMERICAN” ATTACKS RUGBY, September 23. It is officially stated thai_widespread attacks on targets in France and Holland were made on Thursday morning by the United States Eighth Army Air Force and R.A.F. bombers and fighters. Fortresses, escorted by Thunderbolts, bombed docks and shipyards at Nantes and the VannesMeucon and the Kerlin-Bastard airfields'in western France. Many enemy fighters were encountered in the Nantes attack and thirteen were destroyed, nine by Fortresses and four by Thunderbolts. Two more enemy fighters were destroyed by Fortresses attacking Kerlin-Bastard airfields. Marauders attacked the airfield at Yonches (Normandy). Morlaix airfield (Brittany) was bombed by Whirlwind, and two attacks were made by typhoon bombers on the Poulmic airfield near Brest. Mitchells bombed airstrip targets at Rouen, and Typhoons attacked the harbour entrance at Wemeldinge and shipping off the Dutch coast. R.A.F. Bostons and Allied fighters escorted and covered the bombers and macle supporting sweeps. One heavy bomber and two fighters are missing. ENEMY LOSSES. LONDON, Sept. 22? Four Fighter Command Mosquitoes in a running light in the Bay of Biscay last evening, without loss, routed eight Junkers 88’s, destroying one and severely damaging others. Other fighters patrolling in the North Sea without loss, shot down two enemy aircraft.