AIR ATTACK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25241, 2 June 1943, Page 3

AIR ATTACK

ITALIAN BASES CEASELESS POUNDING FOGGIA AGAIN BOMBED •* .. i (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) • LONDON, June 1. The Allied air forces in North Africa yesterday continued their offensive against Italy and her island ba'ses. Foggia, 80 miles north-east of Naples, was again the main target on the mainland, suffering its second attack In two days. Other heavy raids were made on objectives in Sardinia and Pantellaria. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says that the Axis air chief, Air Marshal Kesselring, is now able to inflict such small losses on the big Allied raiding forces that some observers believe that Germany and Italy have no longer the air strength with which to cope with the Anglo-American offensive. More cautious quarters suggest that they are conserving their air strength in the event of an emergency of the first magnitude. The objectives of the raid on Naples on Sunday were an aircraft factory and an airfield in the suburb of Pomigliano. and the aerodrome at Capocichino, eight miles north-east of Naples. • A bomber pilot, referring to the Pomigliano attack, said: “ The factory is going to be out of business for a long time. We started fires in the assembly plant, the engine and machine shop, general machine shop, hangars, and plane assembly. Besides hitting the factory, we knocked out dispersed planes on the airfield.’’ The raid on Capocicnino was also most successful. A large number of planes were destroyed, and at least 80 fires started. Enemy fighters over targets tried to bomb the Flying Fortresses in the air, but this proved a failure. While Fortresses were attacking Naples, more than 50 Liberators plastered Foggia. on Italy’s Adriatic coa*t.. , The Berne correspondent of the Evening Standard says a report from Rome describes Leghorn asia smoking heap of ruins following the American air attack on Friday. Telegraph, telephone, and rail connections with the town are still cut. Engineers had to concentrate on repairing at least part of the water distribution system, which was severely damaged. Independent witnesses say fires are still fiercely burning in many parts of the town, which was evacuated by the defence services. The port district, which was the concentration point for the supply service;- to Sardinia and Corsica, has been razed. Many ships in the harbour were either sunk or seriously damaged. An unconfirmed report states that an ■ammunition ship blew up, adding greatly to the destruction of the town, which has a normal 'population of 130,000. The town is being evacuated, as the food and water supplies are insufficient for more than a few days.