NON-STOP RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 4 May 1944, Page 5

NON-STOP RAIDS

FRANCE AND BELGIUM By U.S.A, and R.A.F. Bombers tAas & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 6 30) LONDON, May 2. On Tuesday afternoon Spitfires bombed a 1500-feet viaduct at Mirville North France. They saw bombs score on the centre and one end of the bridge, which consists of thirty-nine spans. Mitchells successfully’ attacked railyards in Namur. Mustangs and Thunderbolts early at night bombed railway yards in Charleroi (Belgium), also Semain and Tourcoing (France), and the French airfield of Peronne. Paris radio says: Greater Paris was raided twice last night within five hours. The first attack was made at seven p.m. against a big locality in the Seine-Oise department in which heavy casualties were caused. The Air Minister says: On Monday night the Bomber Command attacked vital railway centres and key factories in France and Belgium, sending out eight separate forces. These attacked railway vards and facilities and four important factories working for the enemy. Well over 2,500 tons of bombs were dropped. The targets were: (1) The Soc Berliet factory at Venis Sieux, about four miles south-west of the centre of Lyons, which is known to be supplying the enemy with large numbers of vehicles, particularly heavy lorries. (2) Chambiey Depot, probably one of the most important and up-to-date permanent way depots in Europe. (3) ’ Malines railway yards, which are particularly important, because Belgium has few facilities for repairing heavy rolling stock. (4) Tours Aircraft Repair Works, one of the few remaining aircraft factories which it is believed are repairing F.W. 190’s. (5) Toulouse Aircraft Factory, which is well equipped and capable of constructing large aircraft (6) Toulouse Explosive Works which is producing for the enemy. Three others, Bergerac, Angouleme and St. Medard-Jalles had already been attacked bv Bomber Command. (7) St. Ghislain railway facilities, the junction to the west of Mons, which is Germany’s second largest chemical manufacturing centre. Other ’planes bombed Ludwigshafen in South-west Germany. Scores of searchlights switched on as the crews approached their objective. It was a short, sharp attack. Another force continued the minelaying programme. Ten aircraft are missing. The i Paris radio described the night’s raids as the most violent thus far. The Press Association’s aviation correspondent estimates the Pv.A.F’s. widespread assault last night as the greatest ever made in a single night against enemy-occupied territory outside Germany, both numerically and in tonnage of bombs. The R.A.F. seemingly foxed the Germans last night into believing they were going to strike into Western Germany. German air reports indicated that a R..A.F. force approached the German frontier from Belgium and Holland, then turned away at the last minute towards their real targets. Raid warnings were_given at Frankfurt, Stuggart and M'unich, and also throughout the large area of Saarland.

April was a record month for the R.A.F. Night bombers dropped 33,000 tons of bombs on enemy targets, including 4,500 on Cologne in one night. There were four nights on which nrore than a thousand night bombers ’went out. April was also a record month for the United States Strategic Air Force in Britain and the Mediter- ■ ranean. The Americans dropped 43,000 tons of bombs, shot down more than twelve hundred enemy aircraft, and destroyed 450 on the ground. AMERICAN BOMBERS. ATTACK IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM. • LONDON, May 2. I United States Headquarters state: I Liberators of the Eighth Air Force on Tuesday, bombed military installations in the Pas de Calais area of France. Thunderbolts and Mustangs provided an escort. There was no enemy air opposition and only meagre 'flak. All ’planes returned. Photos of bombings on rail and road marshalling yards in France and Belgium on Monday show good results Thunderbolts and fighter bombers of the Ninth Air Force attacked railway yards at Tergnier and Demans in France. Ninth Air Force Thunaerbolt fighters covered the fighter b °The Thunderbolts and fighter-bom-bers opened the day with raids on railway yards at Tergnier andl l - mans Liberators followed up with as ? attack on the Pas de Calais, which German fighters did not attempt to defend. Other Liberators military installations in Nortn France R.A.F. and Allied fighters maTe sorties both in the afternoon and evening. Marauders and Ha light bombers, with escorting K.a. . Mustangs, R.A.F., Canadian and Al-i--ed Spitfires attacked railway yar s at Busigny, Valenciennes and Blancmisseron. Mitchells and e s .P I “‘7 fighter-bombers, escorted by SP 1 ;* 1 , ’ also attacked railway France and Belgium. R.A.r. Mustangs flew supporting sweeps.