R.A.F. RAIDS KASSEL

Grey River Argus, 25 October 1943, Page 5

R.A.F. RAIDS KASSEL

GREAT EXPLOSIONS Loss of 44 Planes LONDON, October 23. On Friday night well over fifteen huniared tons of high explosive bombs and incendiaries fell on Kassel, two attacks have been this month maue on that city, one of Germany's most important armaments and engineering centres. It has felt the weight of three thousand tons of bombs, .towards the end of Friday night’s attack huge fires were burning gnd a great pall or smoke eighteen tnousand feet high hung over the city. Squadrons of the R.C.A.F. bomber group took part, and dropped i the Heaviest load yet released by tms group on a German target. Australian squadrons were also engaged. AH their crews agree that the bombing was most effective. There was thick cloud en route, but about forty miles from the target the weather suddenly improved, and, except for some thin haze, it was quite clear over Kassel, Pilots said there was much flak, but it was only after the bombers dropped the bombs and were making their way out that fighters appeared. Strings of flares began going down, and the enemy’s aircraft started laying a flarepath both on the way into the target and on the way out. One Halifax rear-gunner told of one of the largest explosions he had ever seen. He added that when he had flown about forty miles he saw another explosion, which lit up the whole sky. Later arrivals said the Germans rushed up a strong force of fighters. A Lancaster bomb-aimer said the bombers dived through flares to make sure of targets, despite danger from the enemy fighters above waiting for the aircraft to be illuminated. One group shot down five enemy aircraft. From this and other operations in the Ruhr, as well as mine-laying, the R.A.F. lost fortyj-four aircraft. It is recalled that Kassel suffered at the hands of the R.A.F. earlier this year. As when the Eder dam was breached last May, flood waters invaded the city. RAIDS IN FRANCE ENEMY WARSHIPS BOMBED (Rec. 6.30) "LONDON, Oct. 23. Two of a formation of four F.W. 190’s, which apparently had been ordered up to intercept a squadron of Fighter' Command Spitfires off the French coast on Saturday morning, were destroyed before they could fire a shot. The other two turned for home as soon as the Spitfires came in view. . Mustangs and Typhoons carried out successful train-busting operations. Tyohqons scored hits on three out of four German destroyers off the enemy coast, and blew up a small tanker near one of the destroyers. No Allied planes were lost ’ in these operations. RAID IN PARIS AREA. LONDON. Oct. 21. Royal Air Force. Dominion, and Allied Spitfires escorted American Marauders on an attack on the Ed-rux-Fauville airfield near Paris. Heavy damage is reported. Fires were started in many hangars and buildings, and hits were scored on parked aircraft. All the aircraft returned. Last night, Mosquitoes were again over Western Germany. All returned safely. The Germans sent a small force of night raiders over Britain. There were not more than a dozen, and only a few got through to the London area; One was destroyed. Spitfire squadrons carrying out supporting sweeps destroyed eight enemy aircraft for the loss of one of ours. AXIS AIR LOSSES. LONDON, Oct. 22. Since the El Alamein Battle, the R.A.F. has destroyed or claimed destroyed 4,348 German aircraft in the Mediterranean area. Ln adaition 2,283 have been captured on the ground. Eighteen hundred Italian aircraft have been destroyed in combat ; and sixteen hundred have been accounted for on the ground. Thus in twelve months in soutnern Europe the enemy has lost more than ten thousand aircraft. U.S. 'PLANES FOR BRITISH USE. LONDON, Oct. 22. Crack American naval aircraft, the Tarpon dive-bomber or torpedo-bomb-er and the Sikorski Corsair and HelL cat fighters, have been made available for use by the Fleet Air Arm. British pilots are now being trained in America to use these machines, and some have already, returned to Britain. The three aircraft have been used with great success against the Japanese. They are carrier-based.