COLOGNE ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24876, 24 April 1944, Page 5

COLOGNE ATTACK

1600 TONS OF BOMBS AACHEN, LENS AND PARIS (Reed. 5,35 p.m.) LONDON, April '22 Cologne was the principal target for Royal Air Force bombers on t Thursday night, and other targets ■ were the railway yards at Aachen, ; the German communications centre ■ | near the Belgian frontier, the railway yards at Lens, in the Pas de i Calais area, the yards at Ottignies, Belgium, on the main BrusselsXamur railway line, and objectives on the outskirts of Paris. Fires wore still burning when a reconnaissance was made over Cologne at 9 a.m. yesterday, seven hours after the attack, in which Lancast-ers dropped over 1600 tons of bombs. Cloud was almost unbroken over Cologne during the attack with the top up to 15,000 ft. The bombing was mainly on sky markers. which were very well concentrated over the aiming points. Only four bombers are missing from this attack, which was heavier than the 1000-bomber raid on Cologne in 1942. Ground Defences Crushed Pilots stated that the weight and speed of the attack on Cologne last night evidently crushed the ground defences. The anti-aircraft fire was loose, and experienced crews considered it not up to the average for this target. Fires began to show below the clouds soon after the attack began and were observed for an enormous distance by the crews on tlteir way home. Some j German night-fighter packs were encountered over the target or along the route. The attack on the railway yards at Aachen was also made by Lancasters and as many bombs a.s in a fairly heavy attack on a German industrial target were dropped on the yards, covering only a few acres. In the past it has been proved that railway facilities can be rather quickly repaired after they have had a number of direct hits, hut it is a very different matter when the whole area of the yards attacked is densely pitted with craters. Great Explosion at Lens The attack on Lens was made by an all-Canadian force of Halifaxes and Lancasters, bombing from well below the usual operational height. A spectacular explosion was seen during the attack, with flames blowing up to a great Wight, followed by a. billowing cloud of black smoke. Halifaxes also carried out the attack on Ottignies, and a dense concentration of bomb flashes was seen over the target. The weather was clear over Paris, with only a little haze. Many fires were quickly started. There was heavy ground opposition and fighters were also met, both over the target and along the route. The German news agency's Paris correspondent says the H.A.I', on Ihursday night heavily damaged the famous I church of Sacre Coeur on Montmartre Hill. Fires Burning in Paris The Paris radio states that fires are still burning in Paris after the two Allied raids. Marshal Petain stated in a broadcast that thousands of people were killed and injured, and many were still buried under debris in Paris and Rouen after aerial bombardments of unheard of violence and crunfty last Tuesday night. The present raids on France are merely the prelude to a gigantic Allied hammering of French towns, said Henriot, Vichy Minister of Propaganda, in a broadcast. He added that no corner of France is now safe from Allied ' bomber squadrons. MOSQUITO FIGHTERS NEW ZEALAND SQUADRON i (Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 22 The New Zealand Mosquito night fighter squadron shot down two .Junkers 88 on Tuesday, when the Germans lost 13 aircraft. One of the Junkers fell to WarrantOfficer R. F. D. Bourke, of Paliiatua. * whose navigator was Flying-Officer I. ('. t Skudder, of Auckland. Warrant-Officer A Bourke opened lire at close range and his cannon caused the Junkers' port engine to blow up, with the result that I it burst into flames and dived into the sea a few miles off the English coast. The second Junkers was shot down by an English pilot, Flight-Lieutenant John Hall, who attacked from dead astern, setting fire to the Junkers' port engine and wing root. It went down blazing into the sea and remained in the water burning for several minutes. This squadron has now shot down 18 enemy planes. DIPLOMATS RESTRICTED OFFICIAL SWEDISH VIEW (Reed. <>..'<<> p.m.) LONDON, April 23 The Swedish Government says it takes for granted that the British Government's restrictions on diplomatic privileges are caused by the military situation and are temporary in their application, but it finds them incompatible with international Jaw or diplomatic procedure,