BRIDGES WRECKED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21400, 10 May 1944, Page 3

BRIDGES WRECKED

'DROMES POUNDED BELGIUM AND FRANCE CEASELESS U.S. RAIDS (10 a.m.) RUGBY, May 9. United States Ninth Air Force Thunderbolts, Mustangs and Lightnings, only two of which are missing, maintained traffic across the English Channel from sun-up to sun-down yesterday, escorting heavy and medium bombers and also dive-bombing enemy airfields, railway bridges and yards. Striking across the Channel in waves for the second series of attacks during the day, more than 300 Marauders and Havocs fanned out over the Continent last evening and attacked a railway bridge at Namur, an airfield at Evreux-Fauville and military objectives along the coast. The Marauders reported that their bombs formed a pattern squarely across the bridge at Namur, carrying a double railway line across the Meuse on the route from the Belgian coast to Luxemburg. Bombardiers and other members of the crews who participated in the attack on Evreux-Fauville reported that their bombs were well concentrated in the dispersal areas and exploded on a large hangar. R.A.F.. Dominion and Allied Spitfires and also Ninth Air Force Thunderbolts escorted the bombers.

Late in their afternoon, Liberators bombed the railway yards near Brussels and Fortresses bombed military installations on the Pas de Calais and Cherbourg areas. They were escorted by Thunderbolts. No enemy fighters interfered with the attacks, which were made in good visibility, but the aircraft flew through intense “flak.” Five bombers are missing.