VERY HEAVY DAMAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 2

VERY HEAVY DAMAGE

RAID ON REICH FACTORIES. (N.Z. Press Association.— Copyright.) (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 13. i In Tuesday's American air attacks on Halberstadt, the plant where wings are constructed for Gemiany's newest two-engined bo-uocrs carrying radio-controlled glider bombs, was "very heavily damaged", said Mr Stimson (the United States Secretary for War). The United States losses were "relatively big", but the damage to German fighter production was worth it. The Oschersleben attack struck the most important centre of Focke-Wulf construction, representing about half the' total production of this type of fighter. Every building but one was probably destroyed in the Messerschmitt ilO plant at Brunswick. U.S. LOSSES MADE GOOD. The Americans have already replaced the planes and air crews lost in the great air battle over Germany on Tuesday, says the Evening Standard's correspondent with the United States forces, quoted in a Press Association cable. Great replacement depots arrange replacements within 24 hour*. The United States army official newspaper, Stars and Stripes, announced that the delay in assessing the results was due to fog which unexpectedly settled over the airfields before the raiders returned home. Many bombers had to be diverted to distant airfields and it is believed that some at present listed as missing may have landed safely in more isolated parts of Britain.

Of the 152 Gorman fighters shot down over Central Germany on Tuesday, the American bombers destroyed 125 and rto Allied fighters 27. The figures, which are not yet complete, do not include a large number shot down by bombers which failed to return. The total American bomber loss i 6 now 60.