ATTACK ON HAMM

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

ATTACK ON HAMM

HEAVY ALLIED BID > j 11 GREAT MARSHALLING YARDS , ' (By Tekcraph—Presa Absoi iation—Copyright; * Recd. 10. 5 p.m. London, April 23. Nearly 1000 Fortresses and Libera- > tors, with a similar number of escortk ing fighters, concentrated over Hamm as the sun was setting yesterday, in - the most determined bid of the war to wipe out Germany’s greatest railway junction and marshalling yards. After this colossal blow more than 200 Marauder medium and Havoc light bombers of the Ninth Air Force, in the second mission of the day, hit military objectives in northern France. Waves of R.A.F. planes then went out after dark, while in the early hours of this morning a strong force of R.A.F. heavy bombers was heard 'flying out eastwards. The Press Association’s aviation correspondent says: “The attack against Hamm climaxed probably the biggest day of bombing, in which more than 3000 British-based Allied bombers and fighters assailed Hitler’s Western Wall hour after hour. The Hamm attack also rounded off the greatest five days of air bombardment in history, The and the R.A.F., since April 18, have flown between 12,000 and 13,000 sorties over Axis Europe, shattering enemy railway key-points, aircraft factories and other targets with at least 19,000 tons of bombs. It Is estimated that about 1500 tons of bombs fell on Hamm. The last bombers of the vast fleet participating did not reach their bases until after the black-out. U.S.A.A.F. headquarters stated: Fortresses and Liberators in very great strength went out for the fourth time in five days and bombed Hamm in good visibility. Most units reported eood results. One Mustang group of fighters escorting the bombers caught {about 25 Messerschmitt 109’s assembling over Germany, boxed them in and shot down 17. The majority of other fighter groups had few combats. Most of the bombers encountered no opposition, but 30 or 40 enemy fighters attacked some groups. The bomber crews are enthusiastic about the high quality of the fighter sup•port. The fighters, in addition* to i aerial combat, destroyed a number of I enemy planes on the ground. Marauders and Havocs, in a second raid yesterday, flew through intense flak and increased th'' total of their bombs dropped during the day to 800 tons. This blow was their eighth since Tuesday. The Air Ministry news service says: 1 R.A.F. and Allied medium bombers of J •the Second Tactical Air Force had a' I big share in yesterday’s pounding of I enemy targets in northern France. I R A.F. and Dutch Mitchells and R.A.F. I and French Bostons went out in the morning, and late in the afternoon Snitfire fighters and fighter-bombers also operated. R.A.F. Mosquitoes hit railway yards in northern France from a low level. Bombs were seen falling among rolling stock and engine sheds. R.A.F. Mustangs, sweeping over northern France, fought 15 Messerschmitt 109’s and destroyed three for the loss of one Mustang.