KASSEL RAIDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24874, 21 April 1944, Page 5

KASSEL RAIDED

HAMM AREA TARGETS FEW FIGHTERS OPPOSE FIVE BOMBERS MISSING •(Reed. 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, April To-day was another great day in the air offensive against military targets in Germany and German-occupied territory by aircraft based in Britain. United States Eighth Air force Liberators and Fortresses raided Germany in very great strength for the second time within 24 hours, states an official announcement. The bombers attacked Focke-Wulf components and assembly factories at Kassel, Western Germany, enemy aircraft parks at Eschwege, south-east of Kassel, also at Paderborr Gutersloh, Lippstart and Werl, all east or south of Hamm, Western Germany. Very Btrong forces of Eighth and Ninth Air Forces Thunderbolts, Lightnings and Mustangs escorted the heavy bombers. One Group Meets 50 Fighters The attack produced iitt-h German fighter opposition. One group reported being resisted by approximate!} oJ planes. Others saw none. Anti-aircritit fire was generally on a reduced scale, although in some places it was sharp. Five American bombers and two fighters are missing out of the total ot over 1500 aircraft. The second operation of the day A a.-i y Marauders and Havocs which attacked militarv objectives in Northern trance during* the morning. The third anc fourth operations were wneu Marauders and Havocs attacked th same objectives in the afternoon, am at the same time other Marauders bombed railway yards at Mahues. Jielgium, and R.A.F. Mustangs attackec airfields in Southern France. Pas de Calais Targets Later in the afternoon came the fifth and sixth operations, when Liberators, "with Thunderbolt escorts, bombed mi i tary objectives in the las de Calais area, while other Thunderbolts conducted offensive patrols over Ho an . The seventh operation was carried out by Beaufighters of_ the Coastal Command, led by New r Wing-Commander C. E, H- McHaic.,Escorted by Spitfires, the Beaufightei. attacked enemy vessels oil the IJu ci coa-st. Two vessels were left on fire ant a third damaged by cannon and machine-gun fire. There was no enemy fighter opposition to these attacks over enemyoccupied territory, and moderate 0 intense flak was experienced. HITLER'S BIRTHDAY HARD TIMES FOR GERMANY (Recrl. 0.10 p.m.) LONDON, April 20 On the occasion of Hitler's 55th birthday to-day a prayer was offered by Goering and a speech was broadcast by Goebbels. Goering's prayer was: ''May fate keep for us this man whom we follow with confidence in good and hard times." ~ Goebbels, in a speech at the Berlin State Opera House, referred to tne fluctuations of fortune and glory, tne gravity of the hour, the times or danger, and Germany's struggle tor hfe. He tried again to build up Hitler as the inspired leader with an historic mission which his adversaries were hampering by every means in their Power. ' ~ Even the greatest leadership, said Goebbels, was not spared the setback s of defeat. As examples he cited Alexander, Caesar and Frederick the Great, of wliom had been misunderstood in their own time. He ended his pea for trust in the Fuehrer's leadership by saying: "In the battle of Lie and death he remains for us what he always ifcs been—our Hitler."