AIRMEN’S “QUIET” DAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1944, Page 5

AIRMEN’S “QUIET” DAY

. mosquitoes bomb cologne long-distance records LONDON, May 15. Royal Air Force Mosquitoes last night bombed. Cologne. Other aircraft attacked, military targets m France and the Low Countries, and laia mines in enemy waters. The fact that the spell of calm, flue, Summer-like weather m tne Straits of Dover gave place on Sunday to cold north-easterly winds of almost gale strength may have accounted for the small-scale Allied cross-Channel air operations. Mosquitoes patrolling Eastern France shot down a Messerschmitt 111. fires over France shot, up a freight train. „ „ , , , r . United States 9th Air Force fighteis set two new distance records on Saturday. Thunderbolt fighter-bombers, late in the afternoon, made the longest range dive-bomber attack ever flown from Britain, striking at the municipal airfield at Bremen x m Germany. Earlier, Mustang fighters escorting heavy bombers to Stettin, in Eastern Germany, made the longest fighter round trip in the history of the 9th Air Force. The divebombing attack of 700 miles in all carried the Thunderbolts 100 miles further into enemy territory than any other such attack yet made. Two of the fighter-bombers failed to return. After 26 days of pounding transport and military targets in occupied Europe, aircraft of the 2nd Tactical Air Force had a virtual day of rest on Sunday, when bad weather reduced operations. Spitfire fighters, however, taking advantage of more favourable conditions later in the day, harassed the enemy. Aircraft of one squadron attacked a 1000-ton vessel off Flusing and left it blazing amidships. Another squadron “trailed its coat” in search of trouble in the area east of Paris, bounded by Reims, Melun, and Compienge. No German fighters responded but 20 barges were attacked with cannon fire, strikes being observed on many. REPLY TO CARDINALS.

LONDON, May 15. Replying to the French cardinals’ appeal that civilians be spared as far as possible in the air raids, the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcast in 24 languages the following warning to the people of occupied Europe: “Our pilots realise that the lives and homes of our friends are at stake. They therefore will exercise the greatest possible care, but the scale of these attacks will inevitably add to the suffering which you •—-our staunch friends—have so courageously endured throughout the war. We know the extreme difficulty of evacuation at present. Nevertheless we ask you most urgently to take every step possible to move from the vicinity of all important railway and industrial installations.” GERMAN TROOPS STRAFED. LONDON, May 14. The crew of a crippled Fortress killed or wounded about 50 soldiers manning the invasion defences of the Channel zone, when returning at tree-top height from raiding an oil refinery at Brux, Czechoslovakia, on Friday. The Fortress’s gunners stated that they shot up at least 30 machine-gun emplacements and flak batteries besides strafing other German ground troops, who tried to bring the Fortress down with rifle fire. ENEMY LOSSES~OVER ENGLAND. LONDON, May 15. German aircraft dropped bombs over a wide area in South and South-west England last night, causing some damage and casualties. Fourteen enemy aircraft were shot clown over England during the night and one over France. No Allied aircraft were lost in the night’s operations. A' small force of the raiders dropped high explosive bombs on a West of England town, causing damage. The German News Agency says: “Bristol was attacked on Sunday night by strong bomber formations.” CHURCH "LOSSES ~RUGBY, May 15.

Nearly 14,000 churches, monasteries, convents, and other ecclesiastical buildings have suffered damage in air raids in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This was announced by the War Damage Commission. Plans have been made whereby the denominational authorities will be able to submit proposals for assistance in rebuilding their particular churches.