DUISBURG AGAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 174, 25 July 1942, Page 5

DUISBURG AGAIN

STRONG R.A.F. FORCE

Target Glimpsed Through Rifts In Clouds TT.P.A. and British Wireless. Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, July 24. Though R.A.F. bombers raided the Ruhr last night with a force, which the Air Ministry described as several times greater than the 40 Luftwaffe planes sent over England, the Luftwaffe suffered equal losses—seven aircraft. Our attack on the Ruhr and Rhineland, including Duisburg, was made in unfavourable weather. Nevertheless, some of our aircraft crews caught a glimpse of landmarks flirough gaps in the clouds and were able to report that the attack developed in the right place. The captain of a Halifax said that they first got a glimpse of a road and bridge near the meeting of the Rhine with the River Ruhr. Then they had a quick sight of the queerly shaped docks at Duisburg-Ruhrart" before the clouds closed up. He reported that he could see the tremendous flashes of the 40001b bombs right through the clouds. When the moon shone clear above the clouds the German fighters had a good chance of finding our bombers. There were several interceptions. One Halifax was attacked twice by two Junkers 88. The first was driven off, and the second shot down. Two other Junkers were shot down by a Lancaster and one by a Wellington. Strong R.A.P. forces have been proceeding to France since dawn. Berlin radio says that the R.A.F. last night dropped incendiary and explosive bombs on the Rhineland. Very little damage was done and two bombers were shot-down. Russian planes bombed East Prussia. Fighter Pilots Over France Canadian Spitfire pilots who attacked stationary goods trains near Cany and Barville reported that machine-gun fire from an engine tender, when they left the station engine, hit but did not damage our aircraft.

Other fighter pilots taking part in more low-level attacks on rail and river supply lines met with similar success. Near Abbeville a big factory was raked with cannon and machinegun fire, resulting in explosions in the building. On the beach at Le Touquet German soldiers lined up in three ranks were mown down by a Belgian Spitfire pilot. "My cannon and machine-gun fire went well among them," said the pilot, "and I do not think that many of them could have got away." Seven enemy aircraft were destroyed out of about 40 which raided fettered places in East Anglia and the Midlands last night. Most of the bombers fell into the sea and five were brought down by a night fighter A? s U v rtl u y W in g-Commander Max Aitken, who himself shot down