Massive Air Offensive Goes On Without Any Cessation

Northern Advocate, 26 April 1944, Page 5

Massive Air Offensive Goes On Without Any Cessation

(Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 25. THE MASSIVE PRE INVASION AIR OFFENSIVE, WHICH RELENTLESSLY IS UNDERMINING HITLER’S WESTERN WALL DEFENC E, WAS CONTINUED WITH UNDIMINISHED FEROCITY THROUGHOUT THE 24 HOURS TO LATE TONIGHT. It also saw bombers again over Germany, following the great night raid against Munich and Karlsruhe by R.A.F. heavy bombers “in very great strength,” which probably means approaching 1000. Under the blue skies over the Dover Straits a vast, seemingly unending, procession of powerful air fleets again passed to assail continental targets. Nearly 500 Fortresses and Liberators, with nearly 750 escorting planes, pattern bombed three important airfields at Nancy, Metz and Dijon with devastating loads. Lightnings swooped down on a fourth Luftwaffe airfield in Northern France. More Liberators, approaching 250 strong with Mustang escort, re-attacked Pas de Calais military installations, while over 175 Marauders and I-lavocs piled up destruction among German military objectives in northern France.

Opposition Weak

At Nancy, Metz and Dijon only slight air opposition was made by the Germans. Our fighters destroyed a number of aircraft on the ground. Bur ing operations over Northern France and the Pas de Calais area our fighters destroyed 10 enemy aircraft in aerial combat in addition to a number on the ground. Seven of our bombers and two fighters are missing. Canadian Spitfires, sweeping in advance of United States heavy bombers, destroyed five enemy aircraft. Three Spitfires are missing. A Mustang group escorting a bomber mission over South-west Germany today had what returning pilots described as a field day. They destroyed 17 enemy planes on the ground and damaged many more, and also shot down one Dornier, besides strafing a rail station, two locomotives and a barrage balloon.

30C0 In 24 Hours

Ihe Press Association says it is probable that about 3000 planes have been sent over Axis Europe from Britain in the past 24 hours. The German News Agency described last night's attack as the Royal Air Force's greatest against Munich since the outbreak of war. The agency admitted tremendous damage. Berlin radio said there is great indignation at the cultural monuments destroyed, including the old Pinakathek picture gallery, St. Boniface Basilica. Wittelbach Palace and the academies of arts and music, the Bavarian State Library and Concert Hall. The Geneva correspondent of “The Times” states that 12 American bombers, not 10 as stated yesterday, landed on Swiss territory and four landed today. Swiss fighters, for the second day, escorted several American planes to Duebendorf aerodrome. Keeping up the Pressure The Bth Air Force escorted by Mustangs attacked military installations at Pas c!e Calais this afternoon. P3B lighter-bombers, during the morning, also attacked airfields in Northern France. Other P. 38's acted as escorts. Flying their 11th mission in eight days, mere than 175 Marauders and A. 20 Havoc light-bombers of the United States 9th Air Force attacked widely scattered military objectives in Northern France shortly before noon. The mission was accomplished despite bad'weather and intense flak. Only one bomber is missing. Escort and cover were provided by Dominion and Allied Spitfires. Although most formations made bombing runs through heavy barrages, no enemy aircraft were encountered in this continuation of the pre-invasion offensive, which struck heavily in the last few days at aerodromes, rCCway yards and military objectives in the Pas de Calais area. Today's bomb tonnage brought the total to about 4000 since April 18. German Fighters Tricked Unusual R.A.F. tactics defeated fighter packs over south Germany last night. Lancasters going to Munich, played entirely new tricks, making for Northern Italy, crossing the French Alps, and flying within a few miles of Milan before turning north-east to Germany. Tactical ingenuity brought the great force back after a highly successful bombing, with losses lower than the average, even for attacks at much shorter range. The Lancasters flew a round trip of nearly 2000 miles. Though on the return journey they flew due west from Munich, and almost a straight line, there was no reason to think fighters were grounded by the weather, though at. times icing clouds and strong winds made things diificult for the bombers. The violence of flak over Munich suggested that the gun crews knew there were no fighters overhead. The Germans scented to have been completely baffled. Thunderbolt fighter-bombers of United States Ninth Air Force, dive-bombed two airfields in West Belgium and airfields near Yvres to-day. All returned safely. Friedriclishafen Attack The total number of aircraft engaged in Friedriclishafen and Munich was well over 1500. Bombing results generally were satisfactory and visibility over the targets was good. Two bomber divisions reported light opposition from enemy aircraft and one division told of determined, continuous attacks by numbers of German fighters. , , Heavy air battles were fought by both fighter escort and bombers. In addition to their escort and support mission, many fighters strafed enemy airfields, destroying a large number of grounded aircraft. Sixty-six enemy aircraft were reported shot down bv our fighters, and 37 by bombers. Thirty-eight bombers and 17 fighters arc missing. In another operation. Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers dive-bombed railway yards near Louvain, Belgium. No enemy aircraft attempted interception, but the planes had to fight through heavy flak. Three failed to return. Rail Yards. Docks

Yet more home-based aircraft —R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. Typhoon and Spitfire fighterbombers of the Second Tactical Air Force —attacked railway yards at Amiens, docks and shipping at Dieppe, and other targets in Northern France. None of these aircraft is missing. Two enemy machines were destroyed. Over 3100 bomber sorties and 2300 fighter sorties were flown over Germany and occupied countries by United States TTighth Air Force during the week ending April 22. During the week heavy bombers shot down 37 enemy aircraft, and the fighter escort destroyed 58. In addition a number of olanes were destroyed on the ground. The Eighth Air Force lost 52 bombers and 37 fighters. Nazi Party Headmasters Bomber Command planes last night were over Germany in very great strength, with Karlsruhe and Munich the main obicctives. states an Air Ministry communique First reports indicate that both attacks were well concentrated. A reconnaissance plane was over Munich an hour after the main force left, by which time fires had spread over a large area. Mosquitoes attacked Dusseldoif. A railway depot at Chambly, 20 miles north of Paris, also was bombed and mines were laid in enemy waters. Thirty pi a” tew'houifafter the R.A.F.'s return from raids on Karlsruhe and Munich, AllieTair fleets were again roaring out from Britain for the Continent, savs the Press Association. The offensive began

shortly after daybreak, when successive formations of planes flew over the Straits to France and Belgium. The aviation correspondent of the British United Press says that the use of the term "in very great strength” indicates that last night’s raids were among the heaviest that the R.A.F. had carried out. Munich, the Nazi Party’s headquarters, is also an industrial town and communications centre. Karlsruhe is one of the main German supply routes to Italy and to Alsace, and Eastern France. It has important railway repair shops, machine tool plants and precision instrument works.