How Leipzig Suffered In December Raid

Northern Advocate, 17 January 1944, Page 6

How Leipzig Suffered In December Raid

(Rec. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, January 16. Nearly 30 per cent/ of the most densely built-up areas in Leipsiz, Germany's fifth largest industrial town, were devastated in the single 1500-ton attack by Bomber Command on the nigh! of December 3. Now that. R.A.F. photographic interpreters have made a full analysis of the damage, it can be seen that only one-tenth of the destruction was in the less fully built-up areas. This great concentration of bombing in the most vulnerable part of Leipzig must have caused extreme prolonged disorganisation in one of the enemy’s most important industrial centres. With a population of 700,000, it has considerable variety of war and essential industries and the Nazis have greatly developed aircraft industry in it since the war began. The largest areas damaged are around the enormous central station which itself has been damaged. Many Factories Wiped Out Nearly 50 identified factories, and 77 smaller works to which names cannot be given, have been hit.. One of the most important is the wool-combing plant of the Leipziger Woolkammerei, third largest works of its kind in Germany. At a time when the enemy is desperately short of textiles, damage to this factory, more than a third of which has been destroyed, must have been a severe blow. War factories which have been damaged include plants to make tank components, armaments, trailers, electric vehicles and magnesium alloys.