ROUND THE CLOCK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 61, 15 March 1943, Page 5

ROUND THE CLOCK

CONCENTRATED R.A.F. RAIDS DEEP ANXIETY IN GERMANY Recd. 6.30 p.m. Rugby, March 13. Last night R.A.F. bombers made another very heavy and concentrated attack on Essen. They dropped more than 1000 tons of high explosives and incendiaries, says the Air Ministry. Twenty-three bombers are missing, but this did not prevent the attack being pressed home with the greatest determination. Reports show that Krupps’ huge armament works, extending over SOO acres, received further substantial damage. R.A.F 1 . reconnaissance showed large fires still burning in the centre of Krupps’ works at 3 p.m. to-day.

Bombers found the defences considerably strengthened since the last attack. Flak was intense and accurate, with large numbers jf light and heavy guns. Many night lighters were also active. Despite the opposition all the crews are enthusiastic in their reports of the damage achieved.

By the end of the raid, which was heavier than the previous one, there was a huge rectangular mass of lire, and an enormous cloud of smoke covered the target and reached a height of 15,000 teet. Crews agree that there were at least two big explosions about 10 minutes; after the raid began. Visibility was unusually good for the Ruhr, which is usually obscured by a thick mist and industrial haze.

Many crews saw the usual dummy fires around Essen, but they were soon dwarfed by the real thing, and the decoys, in tne words of one pilot, “received no attention al all.”

Several Lancasters of one squadron left Essen at 500 feet. They had been caught in a searchlight cone and dived to get away from tnem. On the way back the squadron commanders and gunners shot up several goods trains. —8.0.W.

Recd. 7 p.m. London, March 13. German newspaper references to the Allies’ incessant air raids against key cities are showing a sensational change and obviously reflected the deep anxiety they are causing in official quarters says the Daily Express correspondent on the German frontier.

Newspapers for the first time have begun to refer to the “Anglo-Ameri-can offensive,” and editorials have suddenly dropped the theme that bombing cannot affect the course of the war.

The Cologne newspaper Koelnische Zeitung says:—“None will deny that the nerves of the population in western Germany are strained to the breaking point. Maintaining balance of mind has become one ot the chief tasks in these regions. While material damage can be remedied, there is the moral damage of despair which must be fought. Comrades are needed who will save raid victims from nervous breakdown, and the population must overcome its sense oi desperation.”

The correspondent adds that newspapers, moreover, are now freely admitting that the damage is enormous and casual-ties heavy. The Zurich correspondent of the Daily Telegraph reports that German newspapers are now daily devoting

columns to the R.A.F. raids, emphasising that the whole Reich now can ne regarded as in the iront line. Borne newspapers quoted official statements that oombing now can be regarded as of the highest importance to che war’s course. There is no longer an attempt to buoy up the people with false hopes. They are toid tney must expect bombing to continue indefinitely. A grimly humorous feature is that the German people are now exhorted to stand up to the bombing with the same steadfastness as the people of Britain. A veritable barrage of propaganda has been unloosed throughout the Reich urging the people not to lose their nerve.

NAZIS ADMIT DAMAGE

Recd. 11 p.m. London, March 14. A German communique, reporting R.A.F. attacks on Friday night on Essen, Bottrop and Duisburg, admits casualties and considerable damage and claims that 22 raiders were shot down. The Luftwaffe, on Friday night, heavily attacked Newcastle.