R.A.F. LANCASTERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 25 June 1943, Page 5

R.A.F. LANCASTERS

ENGLAND-AFRICA AND BACK FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AND SPEZIA BOMBED London, June 24. Bomber Command Lancasters, returning from North Africa to England last night attacked Spezia naval base, says an Air Ministry Communique. Preliminary reports indicate that docks were accurately bombed and oil stores set on fire. The planes went to North Africa on Sunday night and without loss bombed targets at Friedrichshafen. It is now confirmed that three acres of the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen were devastated also a motor engine works was damaged. As soon as the Lancasters touched down at a base in England after the two-way attack on Friedrichshafen and Spezia, the Channel was filled with the roar of planes going over to resume the offensive. The Lancasters’ twoway attack, in which not a single bomber was lost, involved a total flight of 2600 miles and the first Lancaster pilot to step out of his plane still bore dust from North Africa. Reports on the Friedrichshafen attack show that it was very successful. Lancasters en route to Friedrichshafen encountered violent electrical storms for a considerable part of the journey and also met with hot enemy opposition, but they delivered a well concentrated attack, and started many fires. A detailed report on the Spezia raid is not yet available—B.O.W. and P.A.