SHATTERING AIR BLOWS

Southland Times, Issue 25514, 7 November 1944, Page 5

SHATTERING AIR BLOWS

Allied Bombers Hit

German Industry

(Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 5. The Daily Telegraph states that more than 5000 Allied planes struck shattering blows against German war industries ,and communications during the 24 hours ended this afternoon.

Railway marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Ludwigshafen were attacked on Sunday by more than 1200 United States bombers. The Liberators and Flying Fortresses were escorted by approximately 650 Mustangs and Thunderbolts. Thirty planes are missing. On Sunday afternoon Royal Air Force Lancasters, escorted by Spitfires and Mustangs, made another attack in the Solingen area. When Royal Air Force Lancasters and Halifaxes last night made their heaviest attack yet launched on Bochum, well over 3000 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped. Bochum is one of the main centres of the steel industry in the Ruhr and is an important railway town.' The weather was clear. When smoke from great circles of fires threatened to hide the target a strong wind quickly blew it away. Flying in generally unfavourable weather throughout October aircraft of the United States 9th Air Force maintained attacks on German railways and destroyed or damaged 367 enemy planes according to the monthly operational summary. On eight full days during the month the 9th Air Force’s fighter bombers and medium light bombers were grounded by weather which also limited operations on several other days. During the remaining flying time they destroyed or damaged 3984 railroad cars and disabled 738 locomotives. Rail lines were severed in 882 places and 65 bridges were made unusable or damaged. In combat with the Luftwaffe fighter pilots shot down 174 aircraft and damaged another 74 machines on the ground, 73 enemy planes were destroyed and four damaged. The 9th Air Force’s losses were*l42 planes. Many of the 19,039 sorties flown during the month were in close support of the United States Ist and 3rd Armies.

DAM DESTROYED ON EDERSTAN LAKE Fighter Bombers’ Success LONDON, November 6. A group of Lightnings shot down a whole balloon barrage protecting a hydro-electric dam on Ederstau lake, 16 miles south-east of Kassel. Fighter bombers then scored 10 direct hits and destroyed the dam. Eleven Messerschmidts tried to interfere with the Lightnings without success. Two enemy planes were hit.