ACROSS THE CHANNEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 211, 7 September 1943, Page 4

ACROSS THE CHANNEL

ALLIED AIR ACTIVITY Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby. Sept. 5. A joint British and United State i communique states that United State.* Eighth Air Force Marauders attac!<e:fc railway marshalling yards in GhentBelgium, early to-day. Iziter R.A.f J Bostons attacked an airfield in Woeni* drecht, Holland. R.A.F., and Allied Spitfires escorted covered the Marauders and Some fighter opposition was encountered. Good results were observed. / * In the course of the day's opei|i-JL tions Marauders destroyed thrC’? enemy fighters and Spitfires destroyed another three. Two Spitfires are missing. When R.A.F. Bostons and U.S.A,A.F. Marauders to-day bombed targets ini Holland and Belgium, Woensdrecht airfield was the target, for Bostons,, and the pilots reported bursts right! across the field. One stick landed in* front of four twin-engined aircraft oni the ground. A large oil fire was seen a quarter of a mile from the coast. There was moderate to intense flak, over the target, area, and from coastal, batteries, but no enemy tighter wa4 seen. Marauders attacked railway targets at. Ostend. On this operations three F.W.’s were destroyed by Spitfires. Typhoon bombers of fighter command with an escort of Typhoon fighters attacked shipping off the Dutch Islands this morning. Although they were operating in the estuary areas of Scheide no enemy aircraft appeared to protect shipping. Two large motor-ships, a large tug and a motor barge were sunk and a coaster and another tug severely damaged, and a third tug and barges hit. Other Typhoon bombers with Typhoon tighter escort raided an airfield at Mardyck, near Dunkirk. No enemy aircraft, came up to oppose the bombXx ers, which scored hits on dispersalareas and runways, but there was much flak from batteries on the coast. Two German naval boats of the E or R type earlier reported damaged, are known to have been sunk by Fleet Air Arm Albacores operating wit lb Fighter Command earlier in the day. —8.0.W.