REICH AND OCCUPIED EUROPE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 5

REICH AND OCCUPIED EUROPE

Raids From East And West LONDON, October 10. British and American bombers struck against Germany and German-occupied Europe from east and west during the weekend Communiques from K.A..1. and U.S.A.A.F. headquarters reveal that planes from England 'and Africa, clawing at the most distant an best-protected corners ot . Hitlers Europe, are reaching the lairs of the German Fleet and destroying vital factories and in addition are winning a significant victory over the Luftwaffe. The Flying Fortresses, which conducted daylight raids on East Prussia and lo land in the reifr of the German armies facing Russia, carried out the most spectacular raids, making round flights ot 1700 miles to Marienburg and lboo miles to The y United States Eighth Air Force made its deepest penetration of. Germany yesterday, when it attacked important targets in Pomerania, East Prussia, and Poland. A communique issued by the U.S.A.A.F. says that no enemy aircraft were encountered by Thunderbolts wluch provided withdrawal support, but. that unescorted Flying Fortresses and Libeintors were engaged in many combats with enemy fighters. Important units of the German i'leet, including the battleship Gncisenau, the battle-cruisers Lutzow. and Admiral Scheer, the heavy cruiser I’rmz Eugen, ■and the cruisers Nurnburg and Leipzig were believed to be anchored at Gdynia when the Fortresses attacked the harbour. Warships Probably Hit.

The aeronautical writer of the British United Press says that allowing tor the large margin of misses at. Gdynia because of the smoke screen, it is likely that several of the warships were heavily damaged. One pilot reported seeing ships leaving Gdynia when the. bombers arrived, and added: “They didn t get far.” , „ . Pilots say that the Germans poured out a great smoke screen as the Fortresses approached—the thickest, they had ever encountered. Scores of armourpiercing bombs were dropped. The commander of the U.S.A.A.I’., Brigadier-General Anderson, announced that photographs show the virtual destruction of the East Prussian aircraft assembly plant 'and other severe and widespread damage as a result of the raids against Anklam, Gdynia, Danzig, and Marieuburg. The German 13,300-ton liner Stuttgart and three other ships were set on fire, and docks, workshops, and railway yards were hit at Gdynia. The aircraft component factory was severely damaged, and many buildings were left furiously burning at Anklam. Bombs made several hits on oil storage tanks, buildings, stores, dumps, and railway communications at Danzig. Bursting bombs completely blanketed the aircraft factory at Marieuburg, and destroyed a number of planes round the plant. They arc also believed to have accounted for about half the assembly of all the Focke-Wulf 109’s.

One of the bombers which failed to return from the daylight raid on East Prussia was piloted by Lieutenant John Winant, son of the United States Ambassador to London. Bitter Air Battles.

Berlin -radio claims that the Luftwaffe on Saturday brought down 37 American bombers in the Baltic area. Aircombats which were fought out with the greatest bitterness lasted for several hours. The radio adds that, fresh Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf fighters were constantly thrown into the battle, which spread out at a great height from Jutland to the Gulf of Danzig. A Stockholm message states that 30 of the crews of three American bombers, and the pilots of two German fighters who made forced landings in south Sweden yesterday, were interned. Crews of Mosquito bombers which raided Berlin last night describe Berlin’s defences as being on edge,, and say there were hundreds of seachligiits. The Mosquitoes picked out. their targets clearly, made their bombing runs, and returned without the loss of a single aircraft. Ou the way over the crews saw huge fires still raging nt Hanover. .24 hours after a heavy R.A.F. attack on Friday night. Photographs taken at midday yesterday show enormous craters and smoke. Since the opening of the north-west' African campaign, the North-west African Air Force has destroyed 6000 enemy planes, 3411 of which were destroyed in the air, reports the Algiers correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency. In the last month the N.W.A.A,F. has dropped .15,989 tons of bombs.