AIR UMBRELLA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25442, 25 January 1944, Page 3

AIR UMBRELLA

POWERFUL FIGHTER SUPPORT LONDON, Jan. 23. About 100 German bombers came to attack the Allied landing armada south of Rome, says the Algiers correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph. Our planes were at least six times superior numerically and met and beat off the enemy bombers before they could launch an attack.

Yesterday was the greatest day for the Allied air force since Salerno. They flew more than 1300 sorties. The Warhawks of the old Desert Air Force scored a notable victory over the landing area. They shot down six FockeWulf 190’s attempting to bomb Allied troops on the beaches.

A Spitfire pilot high over the new Allied bridgehead reported late -last night that there were no indications of battle in the flat countryside, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The pilot said: “We could see bags of shipping. There seemed to be vessels of every shape and size. Our planes were spread over the sky like an impenetrable umbrella, but there was no sign of Jerry." Another pilot said the beaches looked very quiet with the invasion craft neatly lined up by the edge of the sea. All looked peaceful. Troops were still disembarking while others were pressing inland. The Allied warships fired salvo after salvo into the enemy positions. A German spokesman, according to the Associated Press Stockholm correspondent, said that if the new landing operation succeeds it is calculated to roll up the German front in South Italy and lead to the capture of Rome within a short time.