PEAK DAYS OF AIR WAR

Southland Times, Issue 25350, 29 April 1944, Page 5

PEAK DAYS OF AIR WAR

WIDE RANGE OF TARGETS 3000 PLANES CROSS CHANNEL (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, April 27. With nearly 3000 bombers and fighters attacking targets in Germany, France and Belgium in less than 24 hours today was, by this afternoon, one of the peak days of the prolonged air war from Britain, and this did not end the day’s onslaught for more waves of Royal Air Force and United States planes crossed the English Channel this evening. It is believed that by the time they return a new day record will have been established for cross-Channel flights.

In addition to over 1000 planes, which attacked Essen, Schweinfurt and other targets in Germany last night, nearly 750 Flying Fortresses and Liberators, with nearly 500 escorting Thunderbolts, hurled probably between 800 and 2000 tons' of bombs in daylight today on military installations in northern France. About 500 Marauders and Spitfires unloaded another 350 tons on similar targets, Bostons and Mitchells bombed military targets in northern France, Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Mustangs strafed German-held airfields in France, and Mustang and Thunderbolt. fighterbombers, without loss, hit railway yards at Haine, Saint Pierre and four other targets in Belgium. The Luftwaffe did not attempt to break through the escort forces when the Marauders operated in northern France. Spitfire pilots said that about 500 Allied planes were oyer the same area at the same time and the ' ground was so covered with the smoke of the exploding bombs that they were unable to assess the results achieved by the planes they were escorting. Strong forces of bombers, which crossed the Channel late in the afternoon, attacked aerodromes at Nancy and Tbul, and also the railway marshalling yards at Blainville„ Chalone-. sur-Marne, in eastern France. Paris radio stated that Allied bombers violently attacked the .town and district of Louvain last .night, destroying several districts of the town. There were many casualties. A Berlin radio spokesman, referring to the Mosquitoes, said: “There are no measures for dealing with nuisance raiders. These machines are full of tricks and Cunning ruses. They change their tactics all the time. Their task is to bluff the Luftwaffe defences. They cause alarms in various nerve spots, cause additional strain to hundreds of thousands of civilians and make them lose valuable working hours.” SOFTENING UP PROCESS The preliminary air bombardment of the German positions on the French coast and military targets from the coastal area to the more distant rail centres and aerodromes, rose to a new crescendo during the day, states a British Official Wireless message. Light and medium bombers of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and the United States 9th Air Force accompanied by swarms of fighters crossed and recrossed the Channel from dawn to dusk to continue softening up the coast. Every type of British and American medium bomber and fighter took part. They were flown by airmen from every European Allied country, from every Dominion and from the United States.

The only German reaction was a light curtain of flak. A solitary fighter, which decided to brave the attackers, was promptly shot down as it became airborne.

Among other targets were railway installations, flak wagons, bridges and lorries full of troops. Marauders, Havocs, Thunderbolts and Mustangs completed the 10th day of their furious new offensive with a series of attacks on railway yards, airfields and other objectives in northern France and Belgium. In their 15th operation since April 18, Marauders moved in strong formations at dusk to attack railway yards in the Cambrai area. The Cambrai yards form the intersection of lines from Valenciennes, Lille and Paris. Rail traffic from the French Channel ports to Belgium passes through Arras. The 9th Air Force bombers were escorted and covered by R.A.F., Dominion and Allied fighters in both morning and evening operations. Two Marauders are missing from the early operation and a third from the later attack. No enerpy aircraft were sighted. Starting early in the morning Thun-, derbolts and Mustang fighter-bombers sped across the Channel to dive-bomb railway yards in northern France and Belgium. All returned safely and never saw an enemy fighter in the air. Five mine-sweepers were surprised by a Halifax bomber in the Bay of Biscay at night and two were left on fire. FRENCH AIR FORCE Over 50,000 French airmen are serving beside the Allies, said Fernand Grenier, French Commissioner for Air, speaking over Algiers radio. He pointed out that the French Air Force had not ceased to fight with the Allies. Once it was reconstructed it would be able to act as an independent military air force. It now controlled five important aeronautical establishments and 12 military schools. British and American airmen who baled out during recent raids on Budapest were paraded through the streets of the capital on Tuesday in order to show the efficiency of anti-aircraft units and thereby bolster up morale, says the British United Press Ankara correspondent. The Hungarian authorities arrested two persons hailing the airmen in English. •