FIERCE AIR BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1944, Page 3

FIERCE AIR BATTLES

FOUGHT OVER BERLIN AND VIENNA

ALLIED BOMBERS OUT IN FORCE

WITH POWERFUL FIGHTER ESCORTS FROM BASES IN BRITAIN & MEDITERRANEAN LONDON, May 24. Many hundreds ol ! heavy bombers ITom Britain and JTom the Mediterranean today attacked targets in the Berlin. Baris and Vienna areas. It was one of t he greatest- series of operations .of the war.

Flying Fortresses from British bases —more than 750 of them —with an escort of Thunderbolts and Lightnings, attacked targets in Berlin and airfields in the Paris area. The bombers which went to Berlin ran into intense flak and considerable fighter opposition before and after the attack. Many fierce air battles were fought. Altogether 77 enemy planes were shot down for the loss of 32 bombers and 13 fighters. From thp Mediterranean more than 500 Flying’ Fortresses and Liberators, with a fighter escort, flew over the Alps into Austria, where they attacked targets in the Vienna area and a railway viaduct running to the Brenner Pass. Others attacked targets in Yugoslavia. Fierce air battles are reported. R.A.F. Mosquitoes last night attacked Berlin and also Dortmund, lhe main' target for the previous night. Others went for airfields in France and also laid mines. All returned. There were no German raiders over Britain last night.