AGAIN OVER GERMANY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 126, 29 May 1944, Page 5

AGAIN OVER GERMANY

ALLIED AIR FLEETS DAY-AND-NIGHT ATTACKS AACHEN TARGET AT NIGHT. (1 a.m.) London, May 28. More than 100 Allied aircraft are over Germany again to-day. Ono of the targets is an important centre east of Antwerp. Last night heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force were out in great strength over Germany and France. The main target in Germany was again Aachen, wr.ere a great weight of bombs was dropped. Mosquitoes were over Berlin. We lost 27 planes, Recd. 9 p.m. London. May 28. Marauders and Havocs, with escorting Thunderbolts, last evening continued attacks against railway targets in France. Marauders again bombed bridges in Northern France. Havocs again attacked railway yards at Amiensvielles. It was officially announce*:! that more than 300 Marauders and Havocs took part, in both the afternoon and evening attacks over France yesterday. Eleven failed to return from a total of over 600, the highest for a single day since lhe Nirth Air Force 'has been operating from Britain. Pilots reported that railway traffic was brought to a standstill. Thunderbolt fighter-bombers late yesterday attacked railway yards, freight trucks, locomotives, tunnels, gun emplacements and other military targets in France. Two failed to return. The R.A.F. after midnight bombed targets in the Boulogne area. Flares were seen falling between Gris Nez and Boulogne, after which there were violent explosions for 15 minutes which shook Folkestone and other towns on the English side of the Channel. The United States Air '7'orce communique, leferring to Liberator and Flying Fortress attacks on railway yards’in south-west Germany yesterday, stated: “Nounkirchen and Konzkarthaus were attacked, in addition to Ludwigshafen. Mannheim, Karlsruhe and Saarbrucken. Attacks were made against railway yards and also antiaircraft and engine repair plant pear Strassbourg and Metz. Fighter-bomb-ers claimed the destruction of 13 enemy planes and 36 fighters. Twentyfour of our bombers and seven fighters are missing.”

Medium and light fighter-bombers and fighters of the Ninth Air Force yesterday ended a week of furiously increasing activity in which bombers made 1950 individual attacks and fighters made 4800 against targets in Europe. The figure for the fighters is not only a record for the Ninth Air Force but probably stands as the greatest number of fighters anywhere ever thrown against an enemy. Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, May 27. “Up to 2000 United States aircraft—“very strong forces" of Liberators and Fortresses, escorted by Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Lightnings,” in very great strength”—crossed the Channel again to-day in perfect weather.

“The targets, says a communique, 'were the railway yards Ludwigshafen, Mannheim, Karlsruhe. Saarbrucken Kcnzkarthaus, Neukirchen, the railyards and aircraft engine repair factories in Strasbourg and Metz. “R.A.F. and Allied Mustangs flew in supporting sweeps. Some of the bomber formations encountered fighter opposition and others none. The bombers claimed the destruction of 13 enemy aircraft, and the lighters 36. We lost 24 bombers and seven fighters.” Daylong attacks were macle to-day bv medium bombers, fighters and R.P. (Rocket - Projectile - carrying) Typhoons on airfields, wireless installations. transport, targets and other nriitary and industrial objectives in France, the low countries and Germany. A large number of American lighters uerr engaged escorting the bombers and in a strafing hunt, which took them as fai as Coblenz. Only one, a Thunderbolt, failed to return. More than 700 took part from th? United States 9th. Air Force alone. No enemy aircraft would challenge the strafers, who destroyed 16 locomotives. two military lorries, and attacked a factory, as well as flak gun eiYiDlacements near Dieppe. British. French and Dutch Mitchells and Bostons bombed airfields in Cormeille, Creil and Evreux. Their Spit-, fire escort met no fighter opposition and had leisure to record excellent bombing results on all targets. Similar aircraft, with Spitfires. Typhoons, and escorted by Spitfires, attacked military targets in northern France this evening. Fighters returning from bomb, cr rocket, attacks on military installations made ground strafing attacks on at least two locomotives, a military train and German army road transport. On-e squadron of Spitfires dived from several thousand feet to rake with cannon and machine-gun fire three barges, and a tug, near Caudebec.—B.O.W.