HEAVY BOMBERS OPERATIONS IN STRENGTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25802, 24 March 1945, Page 7

HEAVY BOMBERS

OPERATIONS IN STRENGTH

RUGBY, Mar. 22.

R.A.F. bombers yesterday afternoon were over Germany in great strength. Heavy attacks were made by Halifaxes and Lancasters, escorted by Spitfires and Mustangs, on Bocholt, Dorsten, and Dulmen, advance bases for the defence of the Lower Rhine north and east of Wesel. A heavy attack was also made on the rail and industrial town of Hildesheim.

The offensive against German railway bridges was also continued by Lancasters, escorted by American Mustangs. Two railway bridges were attacked, one with 10-ton bombs. More than 1300 United States Fly-ing-Fortresses and Liberators in clear weather to-day attacked nine German Army stations in the Ruhr Valley and five enemy airfields, including jetplane bases in North-western and Southern Germany. Over 700 Mustangs provided an escort and attacked targets in Central Germany. The targets included army encampments and concentration centres in the Ruhr at nine places and five airfields. Italy-based heavy bombers flew a round trip of 1400 miles to bomb the Ruhland oil refineries, says the Rome correspondent of the Associated Press. They have virtually brought to a standstill oil production within their range in Southern Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Oil plants which were turning out 300,000 tons a month last year are now producing only 500 tons a month. Twenty-four heavy bombers are missing from to-day’s operations, which included an attack on toe Vienna railway yards. Escorting fighters ran into opposition from jet-planes.