Synthetic Oil Plants Pounded In Great Allied Air Assault

Northern Advocate, 14 September 1944, Page 3

Synthetic Oil Plants Pounded In Great Allied Air Assault

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 13. United States Headquarters state that over 1000 heavy bombers today attacked a variety of synthetic oil plants and industrial targets in Central, Southern and Western Germany Fortresses and Libeartors, escorted by medium-sized forces of Mustangs.

Thunderbolts and Lightnings. All targetes were attacked visually in good weather. Targets included synthetic oil plants at Mersberg and Lytzkendorf, both near Leipzig, and' at Ludwigshafen, the Daimler Benz plant at Sendelfingen, south-west of Stuttgart, which manufactures medium trucks arid components for aeroplane engines, the Klockner-Humbolt Duetz truck and armoured vehicle plant at Ulm, the Sclnvabisch-Hall Urfield, north-east Stuttgart, where photogx’aphic reconnaissance revealed activity with jet-propelled fighters, and an oil storage depot as Weissenhorn, near Ulm.

R.A.F, bombers have also shown intense activity and in 12 hours between 1.30 p.m. yesterday and 1-30 a.m.. today, R.A.F. Bomber Command despatched over 1400 aircraft. In two days, Monday and Tuesday, the R.A.F. set six oil plants in the Ruhr ablaze in the Upper Rhineland, where Darmstadt has been almost entirely devastated. Strong forces of Lancasters dropped over 400,000 incendiaries or. Frankfurt and over 200.000 on Stuttgart. Thus, General Eisenhower’s warning to Germany of the devastating bombing of their own soil is being fulfilled with inexorable resolve. Already this morning new processions of bombers and fighters have gone out to renew the great round-the-clock offensive. They included 9th United States Air Force fighter-bombers which since dawn continued the assault against targets on both sides of the Siegfried Line and enemy strongpoints near Nancy, Metz and Brest. These operations followed a day of intense activity yesterday during which about 40 enemy planes were shot down and much road and rail transport destroyed. Attack Siegfried Line Medium and light bombers yesterday attacked concrete emplacements in the Siegfried Line in the neighbourhood of Scheid, some 50 miles west of Coblenz. Other formations struck against a rail.vard at St. Wendel, artillery positions and observation posts in the vicinity of Nancy, and rail and road bridges between Sou ill Beveland and the Butch mainland. Fighters and fighter-bombers operating from Holland to the Moselle River, and from Strasbourg to Karlsruhe, attacked enemy transportation and also closely supported the ground forces by attacking gun positions. According to reports so far received. 50 enemy planes were shot down and nine destroyed on the ground. Two of ours are missing. From Mediterranean Area Italy-based heavy bombers, with fighetr support, today struck a new blow against Germany's oil supplies, states Reuter’s Rome correspondent. They attacked refineries at Gdertal, 75 miles south-west of Breslau, and Osw'iecim. near Cracow. Both refineries have a capacity of 172,000 tons annually. Generally, good bombing is reported.

Medium forces-'of escorted heavy bombers yesterday attacked an aerodrome neat Augsburg, a jet-propulsion aircraft i'ac tory at Ulm, and aircraft engine work* at Munich, reports a Mediterranean ait communique. Tactical Air Force planes including medium, light and fighter-bomb-ers, attacked railroad communications it nroth-western Italy and the Po Valley, no addition to enemy slrnogpoints, guns ano troop concentrations, and other closi close-support targets on the Italian battlefront. Coastal aircraft struck at shipping in the Adriatic and Gulf of Genoa, and medium and heavy bombers last night at tacked rail-yards at Bologna. Eighteen planes are missing. Tin.- Mediterranean Air Force Hew approximately 2000 sorties. Complete reports show that two additional planes arc missing from operations on September 8. One enemy plane was destroyed. Six of ours are missing from operations on September 9. The Air Ministry says that strong forces of fighter-covered R.A.F. heavy bombers in daylight this evening attacked railway junctions and yards at Gsnabruek, whien is the R.A.F. Bomber Command’s deepest daylight penetration into Germany. They met no fighter opposition. Nordstern synthetic oil plants in the Ruhr also were attacked. Two bombers arc missing.