INDUSTRIAL TARGETS AND ALSO COMMUNICATION CENTRES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 96, 24 April 1944, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL TARGETS AND ALSO COMMUNICATION CENTRES

(11 p.m.) London, April 2:1 Bomber Command of the Royal Air Force last night sent more than 1000 aircraft to maintain the heavy air assault on Germany ' and German-occupied Europe, which has been in full swing over the week-end. The main targets for last night’s raids were Dusseldorf and Brunswick. Railway yards in Northern France were also attacked and Mosquitos were over Manheim. Forty-two planes are missing. These night raids follow the repeated American daylight raids. . when forces of more than 750 planes were used. In a great day- ■ light attack on Hamm, one of the most important rail centres in Germany, American squadrons report heavy battles with German fighter opposition. Fighter escorts shot down 17 enemy planes.

France’s railway communications are coming in for an increasing share of attention from the Allied air forces. Reports of all raids say that, despite intense ground fire, fighter opposition and cloud, the bombing was well concentrated and good results achieved. The past week-end has been the heaviest continued bombing of the war. There is indication that it is being continued again to-day, many planes roaring cut across the Straits of Dover. A British Official Wireless message says that Liberators and Fortresses, in very great strength, continued the aerial invasion of Germany yesterday ’Saturday), with a heavy assault on the important marshalling yards at Hamm. They were escort :d by strong forces of Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Lightnings. The total forces of bombers and fighters was more than 1509. Hamm is 40 miles east of Essen, and is an important junction. It marshaLing wards have Deen bombed repeatedly by the R.A.F. Military objectives in northern France were again bombed yesterday •Saturday afternoon. Marauders and light bombers and Bostons and Mitchells made the second attack of the day, late in the afternoon. The bombers were escorted and covered by R.A.F., Dominion, and Allied Spitfires. Attacks were also made by Mosquitos and Spitfire fighter-bombers. Thunderbolt and Mustang fighterbombers dive-bombed several rail centres and airfields in Belgium and northern France. The targets were railway yards at Malines, and S\ Ghislain airfields, near Ghent and Lille. Repair shops, train sheds, oil tanks and freight cars were attacked at railway yards. Pilots reported fires at Malines. .The Air Ministry news service states i' that Mustangs destroyed three Me. I 109’s for the loss of one Mustang. I “The present raids on France are merely a prelude to a gigantic Allied hammering of French towns,” said M. Herriot, broadcasting. He added that not corner of France was now safe from Allied bomber squadrons. The Paris radio reports that fires are still burning in Paris after two j Allied raids. i FEAT IN LANDING BOMBERS WITH ONLY ONE ENGINE RUNNING Recd. 8 p.m. Rugby, April 22. A feat considered almost miraculous when Liberators were first in action, : but wnich is now regarded as a trick I in handling the aircraft, was performed when six of these machines returned from Europe and landed in England on one engine apiece. Squadrons of these planes bombed military objectives m northern France. They flew through a storm of flak and had sharp fighter encounters. Landing a Liberator with only one engine operating requires perfect timing at the moment of landing 8.0.W. EFFECTIVE RAID Recd. 8 p.m. Rugby, April 22. In the American bomber attack on Posen on April 9 60 per cent, of the objectives were completely destroyed, according to the Polish underground radio. Rail installations, stores buildings of the G> man army and an ammunition factory, which employed 185,000 workers, were destroyed.—B.O.W.