FRANKFURT BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 March 1944, Page 5

FRANKFURT BOMBED

ENORMOUS FIRES REPORTED THIRTY-THREE_R.A.F. LOSSES LONDON, March 23. More than 1000 Royal Air Force bombers were over Germany last night with Frankfurt as their main objective. Early reports indicate that the attack on Frankfurt was well concentrated, large fires being lelt burning. Mosquitoes attacked Berlin and targets in western Germany and many mines were laid in enemy waters. Thirty-three bombers are missing. x . n German radio reports between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to-day indicated that Allied aircraft were over Germany again. One strong formation was reported over central Germany and others over north-west and northern Germany. A later report said that Allied bombers were flying back to Britain. Pilots and air crews from one squadron which took part in the raid on Frankfurt said that such enormous fires were started that they could be seen more than 100 miles Many explosions were caused, there was comparatively little anti-aircraft fire over the target, but German night fighters were active in the beams of a tremendous belt of searchlights round the city. LITTLE FIGHTER OPPOSITION RUGBY, March 23. Lancasters and Halifaxes dropped more than 3000 tons of high explosives and incendiaries on rianktuilast night. After the raid the crews who had taken part could see toe glow of fires when they were within a few miles of the enemy coast, and Mosquito crews who were over the target more than an hour after the last of the heavy bombers left, reported the fires were out ol control and huge conflagrations had spread over the target area. Mosquitoes dropped 4000-pounders which they recently had been carrying. It may be that as Berlin had been attacked by the American bombers in daylight some hours earlier, the enemy’s fighter packs were led astray. The Mosquito ,crews who attacked Berlin reported lanes of fighter flares leading into the capital, but very few were seen on the way to Frankfurt, or over the target itself. There were some combats — one Halifax was attacked six times before it reached Frankfurt, and shot down an ME 109, but generally the fighter opposition was weak. Since the fighters did not reach Frankfurt until after the zero hour, which was just after 9.45 p.m,, the main defence of the city had to be left to the guns and searchlights. Flak ringed with searchlights in a continuous belt. After the bombingstarted the fires got a good .hold, while the main force was still over the target and a thick, black pall of smoke rose well above the cloudtops. Several exceptional explosions were reported, the flame of one shooting up about 3000 feet. Some thirty key ' war factories comprise the industrial importance of Frankfurt. Besides being the most important central chemical industry in Germany, its factories produce military transport, aircraft • components, instruments for aircraft and motor vehicles, detonating apparatus for naval mines, and precision instruments for small arms ammunition. There are also large grain stores, flourmills, oil storage plants, and Frankfurt is .vital railway junction and important canal link. A reconnaissance pilot, who was over the city at 11 o’clock this morning, reported large fires were still burning in the centre of the target, and smoke was up to 15,000 feet. Mosquitoes over Berlin saw .fires still" burning hours after the heavy American attack the day before. Mosquito bombers which flew over Frankfurt more than an hour after the big Royal Air Force raid last night dropped 40001 b bombs into the huge area of fire in the city. Other Mosquitoes flew over Berlin, and the pilots reported that fires were still burning from yesterday's American raid.

The German News Agency says that thick showers of snow hampered Berlin’s air defences on Wednesday. The “Daily Herald’s” Stockholm correspondent says: The Fortresses and Liberators attacking Berlin on Wednesday warned the Berliners by radio: “We are coming. Our targets will be in the northern districts of Berlin. Evacuate these districts immediately.” The first warning was sent out an hour before the bombers reached Berlin, after which one was sent every few minutes.

U.S.A. ATTACKS

RUGBY, March 23

United States Headquarters .states that strong forces of Liberators and Flying Fortresses of the United States Eighth Air Force to-day attacked targets in north-west Germany, including the bomber base of Hadnorf, and the Luftwaffe station at Achmer. Bombs were also dropped in the Brunswick district and elsewhere. Fighters in very great strength provided the escort support. Early this afternoon, aircraft of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force attacked an enemy target in northern France, the railway centre at Creil, and two airfields in northern France being bombed. "5000 PLANES ENGAGED. RECORD TOTAL OF BOMBS. (Rec. 1.40) LONDON, March 23. No fewer than 5000 warplanes, in three huge armadas, blasted a way deep into the Reich during the 24 hours ended at 1 a.m. to-day, constituting the three biggest successive bombardments thus far launched in air warfare. These terrific blows began at daylight on Wednesday,, with an attack by 1600 American heavy bombers against Berlin, which was followed by the R.A.F’s. night assault on Frankfurt, in which the Bomber Command established a new record by dropping 3000 tons of bombs. The third blow came to-day when an American air-fleet, estimated totalling over 1700, carried out another fivetarget offensive—against Hamm, Achmer, Handorf, Munster, and Brunswick. The Press Association’s aviation correspondent estimates that 6000 tons of bombs were discharged during the past two days—the bombing rate being approximately 250 tons hourly, or over four tons per- minute. Hour after hour, almost non-stop since 9 a.m. yesterday, the Germans have been hearing their new radio raid warning. The Reich had only three short periods of respite—for a few hours yesterday afternoon, between dark and daylight early to-day, and for three hours this afternoon —but the radio alarm started again at 4 p.m. and was still in action after nightfall. Over 2000 of the 5000 warplanes in action during the past 24 hours were four-motored bombers carrying highly destructive tonnages of high explosive and incendiaries, but simultaneously fleets of hundreds of medium ‘bombers and fighters throughout the day, without, loss, hammered targets in occupied territories, including Creil, and airfields at Beauvaistille, Beaumont le Roger (Northern France) and the rail centre of Daine St. Pierre (Belgium). I The Vichy radio says the- Allied I planes bombed the Paris area at mid-

day. A strong force of American Thun-

derbolts flew out late this afternoon, and R.A.F. formations went out across the Channel after tea.

LUFTWAFFE BEING SMASHED

RUGBY, March 23. Marauders attacked the railway centre of Haine St. Pierre, Belgium, late this afternoon. They were escorted by Allied Spitfires and 9th Air Force Thunderbolts. The thirteenth attack this month by A.A.F. aircraft against targets in Germany was carried out on Thursday by strong forces of Liberators and Fortresses of the Bth Air Force, which bombed Germany’s biggest railroad yards at Hamme, m addition to other targets. An air correspondent says: Today’s attacks seem 'to indicate a switch over to the smashing of the Lufawaffe itself, following the attacks recently* made against the Nazi manufacturing centres, airfields, railways, etc.,' over far stretches of the enemy’s territory. The latest official statement by American Headquarters refers to the refusal of the Luftwaffe pilots to give battle during the Americans’ sweeps across Germany and occupied territory. Raids are also being carried out by the R.A.F., which are becoming heavier and heavier as each day and night arrives, and must presumably prove to the Germans without any doubt whatever that the writingon the wall is becoming clearer to their vision. With the announcement that the Mosquito bomber is now carrying the 40001 b bomb it can be stated that the first of these bombs to be dropped on Germany by a Mosquito was carried by Squadron Leader S. D. Watts, D.F.C., of Morrinsville. He described the flight as uneventful.

DAMAGE TO BERLIN.

RUGBY, March-23.

An analysis of the damage to Berlin, just published by the Air Ministry, stated that the number of factories destroyed or damaged by air attacks between November, 1943, and February, 1944, was at least 326. Of 103 factories listed by the Ministry of Economic Warfare as of the highest importance to the German war effort, 29'have been seriously damaged or destroyed, and 15 less seriously damaged. In addition to priority factories a further 151 important general produce factories have been seriously damaged, and 58 less seriously. Seventy-three unidentified industrial plants have also been hit, of which 46 were seriously damaged. Shortages due to air raid damage are becoming apparent both in the German armed forces and in industrial economy. The damage to communications has also been severe, while administrative confusion as the result of our raids is considerable. Owing to the destruction of Government offices and records, large numbers of workers have left Berlin without sanction, and 21 main Government offices have been damaged most .severely. SHIPS BOMBED. RUGBY, March 23. Beaufightevs of the R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. of the Coastal Command attacked two small enemy ships on the 'Norwegian coast. One was left on fire. One aircraft is missing. N.Z. AIRMEN’S VICTIM.

LONDON. March 23

Two Fleet Air Arm pilots, who completed training together and met again when appointed recently to the same squadron in the escort carrier Biter, celebrated “the reunion by shooting down a JU280.” They are Lieutenant E. S. Erikson, R.N.Z. N.V.R., Waiuku, and Lieutenant W. C. Dimes, Wellington. Both went to Wellington together in 1941 to join the Fleet Air Arm. The Junkers, which was a reconnaissance bomber, launched a glider bomb when the Biter was escorting a large convoy in the Atlantic. The bomb struck the sea. The Junkers continued to shadow the convoy. Erikson and Dimes, despite the heavy sea. which sometimes made the flight deck rise and fall 30ft, took off in a Wildcat plane and engaged the Junkers, which crashed into the sea after a brief action. PRAISE FOR N.Z. AIRMEN AUCKLAND, March 24. The R.N.Z.A.F. has helped to make a reputation for the Dominion among the Allied forces serving in the Pacific, said Air Commodore Wallingford, addressing to-day’s air force parade in Auckland. This reputation, he declared, was due to the thorough training of the aircrew and ground personnel, and workmanlike way they performed their duties, and to the inherent characteristics of New Zealanders which showed to advantage in the island type of warfare. New Zealanders were physically tough, cheerful, determined, full of initiative, and had realism combined with imagination. Addressing the men about to go overseas, Commodore Wallingford told them they possessed the highest possible qualifications to meet the difficulties ahead.

The occasion was the opening of Air Force Week.