ITALIAN CENTRES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20966, 14 December 1942, Page 3

ITALIAN CENTRES

REPEATED AIR RAIDS TURIN'S THIRD ATTACK (By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright.) (Noon) LONDON. Dec. 13. Allied air forces have continued their pounding of Italian ports and production centres. On Friday night Turin was attacked for the third time in a week, Naples, which had been raided during the day, was boihbed again at night, and an attack was made against Palermo, in southern Italy. Bombers had to fly from Britain through thick icing cloud almost all the way to Turin. An Air Ministry communique states that very bad weather was encountered over France and northern Italy and the crews had great difficulty in finding gaps through which to bomb the targets. Three of .the aircraft are missing. • The Air Ministry news service says that some of the ..bombers were half an hour over the targets before they could find a gap in the cloud Others were more fortunate. Fires were reported in the target area Pilots reported heavy icing, snow storms, and electrical disturbances. One plane had minor stoppages in three engines, all three being dead together for a few seconds 'on one occasion. The weather was equally oad on the return journey. Damage to Naples A United States communique issued in Cairo states: “Heavy bombardment by aircraft of the Ninth United States Army Air Force again attacked shipping and harbour facilities at Naples during the daylight hours on Friday. Hits were observed on the Victoria Emannele and Vigliena moles, resulting in large fires and explosions. A hit was observeo on a medium-sized-vessel moored at the Mannaniello mole, as well as hits on other ships in the target area. All our aircraft returned.” , A communique issued in Cairc states: “British Liberators, operating with the Bomber Command of the Ninth United States Air Force, attacked the railway docks and facilities in Naples during Friday night. Large fires were started.” The American Air Force announced that the bombers used against’Naples an Friday were Liberators. Rome admits that the centre ot Naples was considerably damaged and also the port area. Fifty-seven were killed and 138 injured. The Berlin radio says that damige estimated at more than £1,000,000 resulted from the Royal Air Force daylight raid on Milan on October 24 “Half of this sum has already been paid out and the remainder will be forthcoming within a month,” it adds. ~ , , The Swiss radio says, that planes of unknown nationality on Friday night dropped incendiary bombs on Aargau and also Oberwals, where some damage was caused. The Vichy radio says that planes, believed to be British, were over Annecy on Thursday night. Flares and bombs were dropped. Three persons were killed and five injured