R.A.F. NIGHT BLITZ

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21606, 8 January 1945, Page 3

R.A.F. NIGHT BLITZ

KEY REICH CITIES

HANOVER AND HANAU

14,000 TONS IN SIX DAYS (10 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 7.

Royal Air Force Lancaster and Halifax heavy bombers, in very great strength last night, battered the imporiani railway and industrial centre of Jlanau, near Frankfurt, says the Air Ministry. The main lines to Frankfurt from Beilin and Munich go through Hanau. which is the site ot

research stations besides platinum and tyre factories.

Over 1150 aircraft of the Bomber Command took part in operations against the Germans last night and yesterday, in the course of which 10 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Twenty-three aircraft of the Bomber Command and three from the Fighter Command are missing. The full account of those operations states that the Lancaster bombers attacked German troops and armour near the road junction of Houffalize in Belgium. Last night two heavy attacks were made by Halifaxes and Lancasters on Hanover. Large areas of fire were observed and, after the second attack, there was a huge pall of smoke over the city. Two attacks were also made on Berlin and objectives in Western Germany were bombed. Night fighters and Intruder aircraft supported the bombers and attacked tire airfields. Mosquitoes carried out offensive patrols over north-west Germany.

Tiie Press Association points out that this is the eleventh successive night that tiie Royal Air Force lias kept up its offensive against Germany. In 30 hours to dusk yesterday, well over GOOD

sorties were made from Britain and France. The Bomber Command in Die last six days alone dropped 14,000 tons of bombs on vital objectives. The Air Ministry says that Royal Air Force Lancasters, escorted by Spitfires and Mustangs, on Friday afternoon attacked the marshalling yards at Ludwigshafen in support; of the Allied armies. The yards accommodate traffic on the route of Kaiserlautcrn to the Saar and linked with the main route cast of the Rhine.,

Rocket-firing Typhoons to-day destroyed three buildings and a “radar” station in Northern Holland, according to Field Marshal Montgomery's Headquarters. Ollier planes bombed barracks south of Utrecht. Coblenz and Ludwigshafen, in addition to Cologne, were among the targets bombed by Fortresses and Liberators. One group of Mustangs of the fighter escort dropped to tree-level and strafed railways between Sty-fgart and Warzburg and an airfield near Giebelstadt. Twentyfour locomotives and 13 enemy aircraft were destroyed.