HEAVILY BOMBED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 August 1944, Page 5

HEAVILY BOMBED

LUFTWAFFE CONTROL STATIONS OTHER TARGETi ATTACKED London, August IG. A massive force of Allied Ucavy bombers was thrown against key German Air Force stations in western Germany and the Low Countries yesterday. Twenty-one main Luftwaffe Headquarters control stations and airfields were attacked by 1900 four-engined bombers with fighter ‘escort in great strength. Heavy damage resulted from bombing bridges over the Oise, states a SHAEF communique. Serqueux rail centre was attacked and fires resulted from a medium bomber mission against a Tuel dump 20 miles north of Fighter-bombers and rocket-firing planes continued to seek out targets in Normandy pockets. More than 175 vehicles were destroyed, and an equal number was damaged in the area. Thirty locomotives were put out of commission in a fighter-bomber sweep against . ailway yards in Belgium. Thirty-seven enemy planes were destroyed in the air. Twenty bombers and 16 fighters e missing from these operations. FACTORIES ATTACKED United Stales Headquarters states that over 1000 heavy bombers with very strong Lightning, Thunderbolt and Mustang fighter escort bombed visually in good w lather to-day aircraft factories and aircraft engine plants and synthetic oil refineries and aerodromes in central Germany. Results were generally good to excellent. N.Z. SQUADRON London, Aug. 16 The New Zealand Lancaster Bomber Squadron (No. 75) operated in yesterdays great raids when Allied air forces bombed Luftwaffe airfields in Germany. Belgium and Holland. The New Zealanders, led by Squadron Leader IT. A. Williamson (Gisborne). and Flight Sergt F. A. Stott, attacked a target in Belgium. They met no fighters and very little flak. They described the operation as “excellent.” and returned with first class photographs. It was the second daylight raid in succession for the squadron, which the previous day bombed the Germans at Falaise.—P.A Special Correspondent. TENTATIVE LUFTWAFFE STAB (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) London. Aug. 16. The Luftwaffe sent up a flight of rocket-propelled Mel 63 fighters to make a tentative stab at the Eighth Air Force to-day. states the Headquarters of the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe. Of attacking Me’s two were completely destroyed. one was damaged and fuur refused combat with Mustangs escorting heavy bombTWO SHIPS SUNK AT BREST Reconnaissance shows the R.A.F. Bomber Command in a recent attack on Brest sank a tanker and an obsolete French cruiser. It is believed that both were being kept in port so they could be sunk at the entrance to the harbour when the fall of Brest could : no longer be dela>cd.