RAID ON AACHEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24636, 15 July 1943, Page 4

RAID ON AACHEN

VITAL KAIL JUNCTION HEAVY BRITISH ATTACK LONDON, July 14 Home-based Royal Air Force bombers made a heavy attack last night on Aachen, the important railway junction through which Germany sends many of her war supplies to France and the Low Countries. It is a Rhineland town only about 40 miles from Cologne and is perhaps better known by its old French name of Aix-la-Chapelle. Aachen has not been raided for one and a-half years. Last night's attack was a heavy one. Low cloud made it difficult to see results. Twenty bombers are missing from the attack. Aachen is an industrial centre with many textile factories and big rubber, glass and engineering works. It is more important, however, as a frontier railway junction linking the main line from Germany with France and Belgium. Mosquitoes, Beaufighters and Typhoons ranged far over occupied France and the Low Countries last night. Rail transport was attacked. They also bombed enemy airfields and kept German defences on the alert. At some airfields the fighters attacked, went away, and then returned later. Over one of the airfields the Germans had just signalled the all clear and switched on the aerodrome lights again when four bombs fell right on the runway. The fighters ran into anti-aircraft fire, but all returned safely. Bombers and fighters went over the Channel this morning iust a few hours after these night attacks. Many formations were seen 'making for the French coast west of Boulogne. HEAVY ATTACK ON TURIN PLANES MEET BAD WEATHER LONDON, July 13 The Royal Air Force bombers which attacked Turin last night encountered very bad weather both ways and a great many of the planes became dispersed on the homeward journey, However, the weather over the target was clear and the attack was heavily concentrated. 'An Italian communique issued to-day says considerable damage was done in Turin, 101 persons being killed and 203 injured. "The attack on objectives in Turin by Lancasters of the Bomber Command was the heaviest yet made on any target in Italy from bases in England. It came at an opportune moment," states the Air Ministry news service. "As the* main centre of the Fiat armament industries, Turin has often been attacked from England, but last night the Bomber Command intervened in the Sicilian, campaign by attacking the railway centre through which supplies pass from France to Germany. "Although most of the journey there and back was flown in stormy weather, there was a clear sky over the target belt, and reports agree that the bombing was both concentrated and effective. The defences were weak and seemed especially so to crews who have recently been over the Ruhr." VULNERABLE PLANES VIEWS ON DIVE-BOMBERS LONDON, July 13 Clear indications that the United States Army and Navy have decided either drastically to curtail or discontinue the production of pure .divebombers support the British Air Ministry policy. The decision of the United States Services is given in a report of the Senate Committee. The British Air Ministry, in spite of much criticism, refused to have divebombers made in Britain and showed reluctaaice to order this type of plane. It has, however, done much to develop high-speed fighter-bombers like the Typhoon as dive-bombers for use against special targets. The aviation writer of the Times says the United States Services were enthusiastic about dive-bombers before entering the war. It may be assumed that the change in their attitude is due to practical experience with them against strong defences. The Germans themselves have been gradually losing faith in the divebomber. In Tunisia very few were used, the enemy employing instead ground r attack units of fighter-bombers. The production of the Junkers 87, the only true German Stuka, is known to have been drastically reduced. The divebomber has been shown to bo an extremely vulnerable machine.