INTENSE BATTLES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 October 1941, Page 6

INTENSE BATTLES

R.A.F. OVER NORTHERN FRANCE 19 IMMV I’I.AMS DESTROYtI) BRITAIN I.OSES THIRTEEN I Ror 2 p.m.' Rugby, Oct. 13. The R.A.F. in intense air battles to-day accounted for 19 enemy lighters. V communique says that Blenheim bombers, escorted by lightens, attacked objectives in northern France this afternoon. Chemical works and a power station at llazingarbe near Bethune were bombed and hits observed in the cooling tower of the chemical works. During these operations there were many combats with enemy fighters anil one of our bombers is missing and 12 lighters, but the pilots of two fighters are safe. A stv'ond enemy aircraft was destroyed in raids on Britain last night. There was nothing to report in daylight to-day about enemy activity over Britain. NUREMBERG RAID Nuremburg. the second largest city in Bavaria and the place where the Nazi party holds its rallies was the most distant objective attacked by a force of more than 300 R.A.F. bombers last night. This meant a journey of over 1100 miles. As a consequence changes in the weather during the many hours and at many widely separated points had to be taken into account when the attack was planned. But all went well over Nuremburg and our crews found good weather for the systematic attack. The first crews flew round over the town before they released incendiaries to light up their objective. The sky was brilliant with flares, then the first stick of bombs went down followed by many others. The tires spread until a red glow tinged the wings of the bombers and the town itself was lit up by huge fires. The crews saw roofs cave in, factory buildings collapse, flames pour from windows and skeletons of burnt out buildings were standing out against the blaze. After the earlier attacks fire had spread far and wide and lit up the railways and factories of Nuremburg for the crews who came in after midnight with fresh loads o» heavy bombs. In widespread attacks many other objectives were bombed during the night. Bremen was the main focus in northern Germany where the weather was not so good as in Bavaria. In spite of clouds big fires were seen burning in this port. GERMANS ADMIT HEAVY RAID (Rec. 2.0 p.m.) London, Oct. 13. A German communique dealing with air activity says: “Bombers on the night of 12th October attacked targets at Moscow, Manchester and Hull. A large number of British bombers flew over north-western, and western and southern Germany and dropped high explosives and incendiary bombs at a number of places, killing and injuring civilians and destroying and damaging buildings.”—U.P.A. HEAVY ATTACKS CONTINUE ON NORTH AFRICAN OBJECTIVES AIR COMBATS OVER FRONTIER ZONE (Rec. 1.30 p m.' Rugby, Oct. 13. j The R.A.F. Middle East communique ! to-day records continued heavy attacks ; on North African key objectives. The 1 harbours of Benghazi and Tripoli were raided by heavy bombers on the night i of lltii-I2tii October. At Benghazi a large fire broke out on the Cathedral : mole, while at Tripoli bombs were seen | to fall on a seaplane base. barrack ; buildings, the Spanish mole, and the Spanish quay. Other aircraft 'attacked Bardia and started a number of fires among motor transport workshops. Aircraft arriving later found a large fire which was visible many miles from the target. Gazaia aerodrome was also raided. In the course of patrol activity in the frontier zone yesterday formations of our fighters encountered opposition fr.- r ” enemy fighters and in several air combats three one 060 were destroyed and other er. ( . -• aircraft severely damaged. Four In the central Mediterranean Naval aircraft bombed a medium sized merchantman on the night of llth-12th, but owing to cloud and bad visibility the results of the attack could not be obse'ved Other Naval aircraft machinegunned barrack buildings at Cape Pa.ssero in Sicily With the exception of the four fighters mentioned above, all j our aircraft returned safely from these ! and other operations.—B O W r.a.a.fTTrecord IN EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST 140 ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED (Rec. 1.15 p.m.) Rugby, Oct. 13. Squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force in Europe and the Middle East have destroyed 140 enemy aircraft for certain and another 25 probably while at least 89 have been damaged. These figures according to a Melbourne , press message were given by Mr A. S. Drakeford, Minister of Air. They do not include a large number of German and Italian aircraft losses inflicted by j Australian airmen serving in the R.A.F. The figures of the R.A.A.F. squadrons are stated to be as follows: —Australian Fighter Squadron in England, destroyed 44, probably four others and damaged at least 7 at the cost of 11 pilots, two of whom are prisoners of war. R.A.A.F. Sunderland squadron, since the outbreak of war has destroyed two enemy machines, probably two more and damaged twelve. R.A.A.F. Fighter Squadrons in the Middle East, destroyed 94 enemy aircraft. probably 14 others and damaged 70—this is at a cost of 14 aircraft destroyed and 4 damaged.—B.O.W. GERMAN PLANE CRASHES IN EIRE (Rec. 2.15 p.m. ) London, Oct. 13. It is officially announced in Dublin to-day that a German plane crashed i in the Blackstaires mountains near Kil- I tealv. County Wexford at about midnight on Saturdav. All four occupants i we killed.—U.P.A.