RAIDS ON GERMANY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1944, Page 5

RAIDS ON GERMANY

MUNICH CHIEF TARGET ■ MANY CENTRES DAMAGED (Recd. 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, July 19. An Air Ministry communique says that shortly before dusk last night a strong force of rocket and torpedocarrying Beaufighters from the Caostal Command attacked an enemy convoy south-west of Heligoland. The Beaufighters pressed home the attack with great determination despite intense light flak from the convoy. One merchantship was left burning and another had her starboard side blown out. Five escort ships were hit, one blew up and another was set on fire. Bomber Command aircraft, last night resumed the offensive against Germany’s synthetic oil supply with heavy attacks against the plants at Scholven-Buer and Wesseling, in the Ruhr. Large explosions were followed by fire at both plants. A Mosquito force attacked Berlin. Cologne was also bombed. Halifaxes attacked flying bomb installations in the north of France and mines were laid in enemy waters. Two Beaufighters and eight bo’mbers are missing from all operations. Protecting United States heavy bombers to targets in Germany and France, fighters destroyed at least seventeen enemy planes in combat. Mustangs, Thunderbolts and .Lightnings varied activity by shooting up railwayyards, aerodromes and other vital targets. Thirty-six enemy planes were destroyed by ground strafing. One Mustang group shot down eight interceptors east of Munich. Encountering about 15 MEl9o’s near the target area in Germany, another Mustang group battled from 35,000 ft. to tree-top level, destroying four enemy planes. Seven Allied fighters are missing. Photographs show heavy damage was done to the Luftwaffe’s research centres and experimental stations at Peenemunde and Zinnowitz in yesterday’s attacks. Revised figures of yesterday’s Ninth Air Force fighter operations show that heavy enemy opposition came up against the American planes, principally in the area west of Paris. Forty-four enemy aircraft were destroyed during the day —.33 in the air and 11 on the ground. Twenty-six Ninth Air Force lost five bombers, 19 fighters and two reconnaissance planes. ~RUGBY, July. 19. United States Headquarters states that over 1200 heavy bombers, this morning, attacked a variety of factories, railroad yards, and aerodromes in southern and south-west-ern Germany in weather generally clear. Among the targets were the ME 109 components factory at Kempten, 35 miles north-east of the Swiss border; a chemical factory at Hollrie.gelskreuth, on the outskirts of Munich. which makes oxygen and hydrogen; the ballbearing plants at Schweinfurt; the railroad yards at Coblenz, Saarbrucken, and Strasbourg?; the Luftwaffe stations .at Lachfeld, Leimpheim. and Laupheim, all in the vicinity of Augsburg. Strong forces of Mustangs, Thunderbolts, and Lightnings escorted Fortresses and Liberators in the attacking divisions. 'lt is understood tne escorting planes numbered between 500 and 750. “MUNICH ONLY A MEMORY.” • RUGBY. July 19. About 100 Fortresses and Liberators, to-day, participated in bombing aircraft factories, aerodromes and ordnance depots near Munich, reports the American Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy. Fires were observed after raiders hit the Milbertshofen ordnance depot, west of Munich.. The raiders scored scattered hits against the Allaeh aircraft engine factory, seven miles north of Munich and an adjacent aerodrome. They well covered an aircraft components factory seven miles west of Munich. Small formations of bombers also raided the Munich railway yards. Only a few fighters challenged the raiders. „ , , , , The “Voelkischer Beobachter declares that Munich is only a memory as a result of the latest series ol raids. “Munich's Central and Eastern Stations no longer exist. 1 o think that barely a year ago we nevcr dreamed this could happen. COMPARATIVE LOSSES " RUGBY, July 19. American heavy bombers which attacked objectives in Germany to-day encounteded considerable fighter opposition. but bombers and the escort shot down twenty-three German aircraft. and fighters destroyed thirtysix more on the ground. American, losses were eighteen, bombers and seven fighters. TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. RUGBY,’JuIy 1 9. Sir A. Harris took the enemy by surprise, last night, by switching some of his R.A.F. Lancasters anci Halifaxes from France to Germany. Although some crews reported seeing fighters, the German air defences were much weaker than expected. Only 19 combats arc so far reported from the two forces of heavy bombers which attacked targets in the Ruhr. , . One of the biggest explosions ever seen in a bombing attack took place at Scholven Buer. Target indicators went down and the bombing had just begun when the sky and the whole target area was lit up by an explosion which lasted 15 to 20 seconds. “We were just making a bombing run,” one pilot said, “when a colossal sheet of orange and red flame shot up. This was quite unlike any other I have seen and 1 have seen plenty.” Another pilot said that when he arrived over the target smoke reached a height of nearly four miles.

FLYING BOMBS INCREASE

LONDON, July 19

Flying bomb activity continued last night and to-day against the southern counties, including the London area, causing casualties and damage. The activity last night was on a bigger scale than the night attacks of the last few weeks. The sky was often filled with tracers, bursting shells, and the glow of exploding flying bombs. A.number of the bombs were destroyed in mid-air, and others were brought down in open country.