WAR IN THE AIR

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 October 1944, Page 6

WAR IN THE AIR

GERMAN CENTRES BOMBED LONDON, October 23. Royal Air Force bombers last night attacked Hamburg and objectives <n western Germany. More than 1109 United States heavy bombers yesterday attacked industrial and communication targets in the Hamm, Muenster, Hanover, and Brunswick areas in Germany. The Liberators and Flying Fortresses were escorted by more than 750 Thunderbolts and Mustangs. Royal Air Force Mosquitoes were out over Germany and Holland in very bad weather during the .night., natrolling the roads and railways leading to the battlefront. Although a number of attacks were made, bad visibility prevented observation. Road and rail crossings between Leer and Muenster were bombed and straicu. A Mosquito pilot strafed lights near Wesel with his cannons. A small roaa convoy south-west of Zwolle, heading westwards was strafed and several hits were seen. A road bridge near Flushing was bombed. A fire observed in the same area was increased by another attack. All the Mosquitoes returned. . . x In an offensive sweep down the Rhine Valley from Aachen to the 3rd Army front, 500 Thunderbolts and Lightnings on Saturday shot down 22 German aeroplanes, destroyed two on the ground, and damaged .15. three fighter-bombers are missing. The Allied terror bombers have reduced Brunswick to rubble said the German News Agency. “Within one hour Brunswick was destroyed—burned and wiped out except tor the chimney stacks.”

RAID ON ESSEN

LONDON, October 24.

Royal Air Force bombers in very great strength last night attacked the much-bombed industrial city of Essen in the Ruhr. Essen is not only the headquarters of the great Krupp works, but is also the centre of an important railway network. Other bombers attacked Berlin. t Heavy bombers based on Italy attacked targets in western Czechoslovakia and southern Germany, and others attacked the Brenner Pass railway. EIGHT R.A.F. LOSSES RUGBY, October 24. The Air Ministry reports that of more than 1000 R.A.F. Lancaster and Halifax bombers which made an attack on Essen eight are missing. Cloud prevented immediate observation of the results, but the glow ol large fires was seen. Objectives . m Berlin were also bombed. Night fighters supported the bombers, and attacked airfields behind the enemy’s lines. The pilots had to fly through severe snowstorms to within 50 miles of Essen. Over Essen itself the cloud was so thick that the Pathfinder force had to constantly mark the area out with sky markers. Towards the end of the attack the defences were strengthened by strong forces of fighters, while flares were soon seen along the route leading away from the target. flyincTbombs LONDON, October 24. After a lull of barely 48 hours, theenemy twice during Monday night sent flying bombs against Southern England, including the London area, causing damage and casualties.