WIDESPREAD BOMBING

Waikato Times, Volume 196, Issue 22568, 23 March 1945, Page 3

WIDESPREAD BOMBING

3500 SORTIES IN DAY

MORE TEUTON BOMBS BIG BERLIN NIGHT RAID (Lnlied Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. CopyrUM) I (Received March 23, 11.30 a.m/-) I LONDON, March 22 i Hundreds of British and American ! heavy bombers today renewed the | offensive against industrial areas 1 concerned in the defence of the lower i Rhine. Royal Air Force bombers j attacked three army tenders north- | east of Wesel. dropped ■ 10-ton bombs on railway bridges. Another force bombed an important j town 20 miles south-east of Hanover. I Nine Ruhr centres were bombed 1 by part''of a force of 1300 American : heavy bombers. Others attacked five | German airfields, including jet plane bases, in north-west and south Ger--j many. British and American bombers flew j a total of 3500 sorties today. From Italy bombers flew to south- j era Austria and bombed the railway line between Graz and Brunn, the main German escape line from Yugo- i slavia. The force of more than 100 Mos- ; quitos which attacked Berlin was the 1 biggest yet sent against the capital in the month’s successive night raids. Fighters escorting the American bombers shot down 12 of the Luftwaffe. Night Attacks Oh Reich German radio reports indicate that there were heavy bombing attacks on the Reich during the night following yesterday’s air assault. The reports say that night bombers hit Hamburg, Bremen and targets in the Ruhr.

Yesterday the Germans put up the heaviest anti-aircraft barrage so far encountered by R.A.F. planes, which were out to destroy all rail and road communications in the northern German plain. At least 117 German planes were destroyed or damaged, 50 of which were brought down in combat, and 112 hit on the ground. Two raids were made by R.A.F. Mosquitos on Berlin last night. One is officially stated to have been carried out by the largest force of these bombers yet sent against Berlin. The Press Association’s aviation correspondent says over 100 Mosquitos took part.

Jubilant airmen described the raid as “the best yet.” The bombs they dropped brought the total taken to Berlin by Mosquitos to about 2000 tons in 30 successive

nights. Mosquitos during the night also bombed ten marshalling yards north of the Ruhr.

Approximately 700 Mustangs escorting the R.A.F. and American heavy bombers today covered Germany from Bremen in the northwest to Lake Constance in the south, and beyond Berlin almost to the Russian lines in the East. The Luftwaffe declined the challenge, but 13 enemy planes were shot down in isolated encounters and nine more destroyed on the ground. To-day’s joint British and American pounding of military installations east of the Rhine did not interrupt the Tactical Air Forces’ interdiction programme against V2 routes in northern Holland. They cut 23 rail lines, mainly around the Hague. Italy-based heavy bombers flew a round trip of 1400 miles today to bomb the Ruhland oil refineries, says the American Press .Rome correspondent. They have virtually brought to a standstill oil production within their range in southern Germany, Austria and Hungary. Oil plants which were turning out 300,090 tons a month last year are now producing only 500 tons a month. Twenty-four heavy bombers are fnissing from today’s operations, which included an attack on the Vienna rail yards. Escorting fighters ran into opposition from jet planes. Towns Named in Ruhr Royal Air Force bombers this afternoon were over Germany in great strength. Heavy attacks were made by Halifaxes and Lancasters, escorted by Spitfires and Mustangs, on Bocholt, Dorsten and Dulemen, advance bases for the defence of the lower Rhine north and east of Wesel. A heavy attack was made on the rail and industrial town of Hildesheim, near Hanover.

The offensive against German rail bridges was continued by Lancasters escorted by American Mustangs. Two railway bridges were attacked, one with 10-ton bombs.

31ST RAID ON BERLIN

(Received March 23, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 23

It is officially announced that Royal Air Force Bomber Command Mosquitos attacked Berlin last night for the 31st successive night.