NORTH OF RUHR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21619, 23 January 1945, Page 3

NORTH OF RUHR

SCATTERED RAIDS TACTICAL AIR FORCE flights From italy (10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 22. From dusk till dawn, Mosquitoes of the R.A.F. Second Tactical Air Force flew through blinding snow showers to make scattered attacks on railways and roads, mainly north of the Ruhr. Although the results were difficult to observe, it was one of the best nights since the present drive began. One wing attacked three trains, 230 trucks and 37 motor vehicles, with extremely good results, while aircraft of two other wings _ saw strikes on scattered motor vehicles, lights -and buildings. Pilots said it was the most severe weather they had yet flown through on this front. It was continually snowing over the target area. Ice formed on the wings, both on the outward and return journeys. On Sunday, medium forces and escorted heavy ‘bombers attacked oil targets and railway yards in Austria. An oil refinery at Fiume was attacked by fighter-bombers. On the night of January 20 “heavies” and “mediums” attacked the railway yards at Undine, while light bombers attacked road and rail communications behind the enemy lines. Medium bombers attacked several bridges in the Po Valley and on the Brenner route, and an oil dump near Cavarzere. Fighters and fighter-bombers concentrated against rail communications in northern Italy. . „ , . Mediums . and “heavies dropped supplies in Yugoslavia, and coastal aircraft attacked shipping in the Adriatic. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed. We lost 17 from over 1500 sorties.

A Rome correspondent says medium and fighter-bombers to-day carried out widespread operations in attempts to deplete German fuel, ammunition and other supplies sufficiently to make it impossible for the German divisions to launch attacks against our troops on the Italian front. The attacks were intensified on accumulated enemy supplies in the Po Valley. The targets for medium bombers attacking the Brenner and Tarvisio routes were further north than they have ever been before.