DESTRUCTION IN RUHR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23963, 2 June 1943, Page 3

DESTRUCTION IN RUHR

EFFECTS OF BOMBING OFFENSIVE “DESOLATION OVER AREA ” (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 31. Germany’s vital Ruhr area has become a “square of death” on which 10,500 tons of bombs have fallen within a month. Duisburg, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, and Wuppertal stand as corners of the square. The Stockholm correspondent of the ‘‘Daily Express” calls it an area of lost men in the heart of Germany, over which desolation has spread. He adds that news from Germany builds up a grim picture of idle factories, railways thrown into chaos, homeless people wandering the streets, and angry Nazi officials shouting orders to demonstrators who are protesting that their relief is inadequate. What Germany fears is invasion. Italy will give the Allies air bases from which attacks can be launched against the Reich and against Austria —where big industries arc now established—as well as the attacks from the west. The aviation expert of the Daily Mail” states that exponents of the “win the war by bombing” theory are seeing their ideas tried out. “If the present offensive fails in that supreme objective no harm will have been done, for the Allies will then have to put into operation the wishes of the other school which regards bombers as a great softener up of the enemy preliminary to the ground forces going in,” he says. “That is the inner meaning of the masses of air raids launched from all quarters, which might to the layman appear haphazard and unrelated.” Damage to Oil Plant Among the targets hit in a recent Royal Air Force raid on the Ruhr was a synthetic oil plant and chemical works of considerable importance '.o the enemy—a factory capable of producing 100,000 tons of synthetic oil annually. This was the plant of Ruhr Cheme A G and Us associated company Ruhr Benzin A G at Sterkrade, about six miles from Duisburg. Air photographs show that important sections of the factory were damaged, Including the main storage silo for nitrogenous material. A group of water and gas generators and the main gasholders as well as other buildings, offices, and workshops, were also damaged. Experts consider that the damage done will keep the factory out of production for a long time. About a quarter of Axis oil production is synthetic, and there is evidence of a growing shortage of oil m Germany. Commenting on the recent Royal Air Force raids on western Germany, the German newspaper “Westfaplische Zeitung” slates: “A few days after the very heavy raid on Bochum and before we had managed to bury its victims and were still busy assisting the homeless, the floods from the destroyed dams caused endless misery and terrible destruction in other parts of the region. We face to-day the fact that the whole of the Westphalia region is affected somehow or other by the catastrophes,” The United States Army Blh Air Force made a record day-time contribution to the mounting round-the-clock offensive from Britain during May. This included nine major attacks by heavy bombers against vital enemy targets in Germany, Holland, Belgium, and France, representing a 70 per cent, gain over any previous month in the weight of bombs on enemy targets. Three hundred and lifty-one enemy fighters were destroyed by the bombers, which is more than twice the previous highest monthly total. Also, during May, American medium bombers were first used over Europe, as well as the newest American high altitude fighter, the P47 (Thunderbolt). More than 2000 sorties wore made during the month. Tin; losses were 72 bombers and nine fighters. DAY RAIDS ON EUROPE ZEEHRUGGE, FLUSHING, AND CHERBOURG (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 31. Two Fockc Wulf 190's were destroyed by Spitfires of the Fighter Command this evening. They were shot down by a Canadian wing which was carrying out a diversionary sweep during an attack by Venturas on Zoebrugge. At the same time Mitchell bombers were attacking Flushing. The Canadian wing engaged a number of enemy fighters over Nieuport and near Bruges, During a running fight with about 30 enemy fighters, the wing commander leading the wing saw one Focke Wulf 190 dive into the sea, and another pilot saw a parachute opening as the victim bailed out over Nieuport. Other Spitfires escorted the Venturas and Mitchells. None of the bombers is missing. Earlier in the day Spitfires also provided cover for Ventura bombers when they attacked the docks at Cherbourg and the Caen airfield. These attacks were also carried out without loss. Although a,number of Fockc Wulf 190’s attempted to intercept the bombers raiding Caen, they were driven off by the fighters. It is officially stated that two enemy aircraft were destroyed off the East Anglian coast yesterday evening. During daylight to-day there was nothing to report. Explosions on the French coast between Calais and Boulogne are believed to have been caused by bursting bombs, which were seen from the English side of the Channel early this evening. According to press reports the explosions sent up high, dense smoke. Out over the channel aircraft were also heard and the sound of antiaircraft fire came from across the Channel. RAID ON TORQUAY CASUALTIES IN BOMBED CHURCH (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 31. Sunday School attendance registers are buried under the rubble of the church which was wrecked in Sunday’s German raid on Torquay, making the identification of missing children difficult, but it is known that three teachers and 18 children were killed. Fourteen children were seriously injured and 10 slightly injured. It was the town's worst raid. The Director of Education for the town was among the many killed. He was walking on the seafront with some children when the aeroplanes came over. He threw himself to the ground, protecting one child with his body. A cannon shell killed him, but the child was only slightly injured in a foot. Members of civil defence units digging in the ruins of workmen’s cottages found the body of a man whose wife was still alive under him, with both her legs broken. She was conscious throughout the hour and a half it took to extricate her, and she was able to direct the workers to a spot nearby where a boy aged 16 lay dead. Anxious parents were still waiting at the church gate this evening for news of their children, while rescue squads dug among the fallen masonry.