BERLIN AGAIN

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 5

BERLIN AGAIN

HEAVY R.A.F. RAID Many Planes Lost [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Dec. 3. An Air Ministry communique states that R.A.F. bombers in great strength last, night made another heavy attack on Berlin. Very large fires were seen with smoke rising to a great height. Mosquitoes also attacked Western Germany. Forty-one bombers' are missing.' The Oslo radio announced that formations of German night fighters protected Berlin, and fought out air battles of exceptional intensity even over the city. The Berlin radio says that up to 11 p.m. the bodies of 146 British airmen had been recovered from wrecked planes. WHO WERE THEY? (Rec. 11.10) LONDON, Dec. 3. Herr Schroeder, Chief correspondent of the German Overseas News Service, stated: An air raid warden in Berlin, fighting a fire in the basement of the Berlin Press Club, after a raid, was amazed to hear a nearby fire fighter exchange a few words in English with another fire fighter. The warden, refusing to listen to explanation, dragged the fire fighters to a police station. A German crowd, while they were en route heard a rumour that Englishmen had been found in a house, from which they had been trying to signal to the raiders. The crowd gathered stones, and they were restrained with difficulty from, lynching the suspects. Herr Schroeder said that the affair was quickly settled at the police station, because those two were an English Fascist, who is a German radio announcer, and an official of the German Foreign Affairs Ministry. Reuter’s Agency says: The only British radio announcers known to be on the German radio are William J'oyce, alias “Lord Haw Haw,” and Baillie Stewart, the ::Officer in the Tower,” a former member of the British Union of Fascists.

RAIDS IN FRANCE

Marseilles a Target

LONDON, Dec. 2. The Air Ministry stated Mitchells, Bostons, and Typhoons, escorted by fighters, bombed targets on Cherbourg Peninsula on Thursday morning-. No aircraft are missing. It is known that a tenth enemy aircraft was destroyed by fighters in Wednesday’s offensive operations. Bomber Command planes on Wednesday ni- 1 - + laid mines in enemy waters. Two planes are missing. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent stated: On Thursday a very heavy force of Flying Fortresses, for the first time attacked submarine pens and construction facilities in Marseilles Harbour. The pens have been ■under construction for several months, and onlv recently' neared completion. The Fortresses which attacked Toulon on November 24 sank five warships, probablv sank another five, and severely damaged two armed merchantmen and extensively damaged the dry docks, j The United States Army Headquarters announced the promotions of Brigadier General L. Anderson, Commanding- General of the Eighth A A.F. Bomber Command to MajorGeneral and Colonel Leon W. Johnson. Commanding Officer of the Liberator Group, to Brigadier-General. Both have been connected with large-scale aerial offensive shattering targets in enemy-occupied Europe.