GERMAN NAVAL BASE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22492, 29 January 1943, Page 5

GERMAN NAVAL BASE

Fortresses Make Their First Raid Gallantly Executed Operation By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, January 27. United States Flying Fortresses and Liberator four-engined bombers made their first raid on Germany to-day. The Fortresses went to the great Wilhelmshaven naval base, which was heavily bombed. This followed the R.A.F. raid on the U-boat base at Lorient last night. The Fortresses, like the Liberators, which bombed other targets in northwest Germany, made the trip with no fighter escort. Several challenging German fighters were destroyed. Three of the bombers are missing. The Americans have already been congratulated by the Chief of the R.A.F. Bomber Command, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, who described the raid as a well-planned and gallantly executed operation which opened the campaign the Germans had long dreaded. A spokesman of the R.A.F. disclosed that the weight of bombs dropped on Germany had already surpassed the total tonnage dropped by the Luftwaffe on Britain. Lorient Pounded Last night aircraft of the Bomber Command again attacked the submarine base at Lorient. Fires were seen in the dock areas. Other bombers took part with Coastal Command aircraft in attacks on targets at Bordeaux. Two bombers are missing. 'The attack on Lorient was concentrated in one hour, states the Air Ministry news service. The defences seemed to have been strengthened since bombers were last over the port, and there was sharp opposition at the beginning of the raids. Later arrivals reported that the flak did not worry them very much, and a pilot who was making his first operational sortie said that he hoped that every trip was “as quiet and easy as this one.” A great number of incendiaries and high explosives, including many 40001 b bombs, were dropped. There exists no evidence that the German air forces in France are being built up fQS a renewed blitz on Britain, according ifc air circles in London. All the evidence tends to show that German first-class bombers stationed in France have been continuously and in-, creasingly diverted to the Eastern front.

Four Royal Air Force fighters did notr return from these operations. Early this morning a lone enemy raider machine-gunned the streets of a town in the south-west of England. There are no reports of casualties or damage. Copenhagen Raided Wing Commander H. Edwards, V.C., led a Mosquito Squadron in a raid on shipyards at Copenhagen. The pilots flew so low that they had to dodge chimneys and church spires. Intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered over the target but no enemy fighter opposition. Hits were scored on the Diesel engine sheds from which flames rose 100 feet in the air. Dusseldorf Plastered

A big force of heavy bombers was out over the Rhineland last night, the great armament centre of Dusseldorf being the main target. Several hundred tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped in 20 minutes. Cloud prevented good observation, but it is believed that the results were very effective. Six machines did not return.