WAR IN THE AIR

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 November 1943, Page 5

WAR IN THE AIR

GERMAN AIRFIELDS BOMBED.

RUGBY, November 17.

The important German air bases of Istres Le Tape and Salon, near Marseilles. were badly damaged yesterday in a double attack by Fortresses and Marauders, according to a message from Allied Headquarters. Large fires and flaming aircraft were seen on- the ground. Twenty to 30 enemy fighters rose to meet the Fortresses over Istres and 12 Messerschmitts 109 were shot down. The Marauders came over Salon a quarter of an hour later and the enemv was able to muster only 15 fighters, of which one was shot down. Three Allied planes are missing from the two operations. The Air Ministry states: “Last night, Mosquitoes of the Bomber Command, without loss, attacked objectives in Western Germany.” TORPEDO-BOMBER BASES. (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. The air raid against Istres and Salon mark the renewed Allied offensive against German torpedo-bomber bases on the flank of the Western Mediterranean shipping lanes, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. Large numbers of torpedo-bombers were seen concentrated in the Salon zone in the last raid against southern French bases last 1 August. Our bombers yesterday set fire to hangars, parked planes and warehouses. CHANNEL ISLANDS RAID. RUGBY, November 17. Two minesweepers, a trawler, and a motor-launch were damaged by Typhoons attacking the enemy-held Channel ports on Wednesday. The

minesweepers were lying at the quayside at St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Intense flak came from the quay, but the pilots saw their cannon shells hitting the ships. Other Typhoons attacked a trawler and a motor-launch moored in the dock at Lezauoux in face of intense flak. Two of our fighters are missing.