SMALL LOSSES OVER REICH

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 189, 9 May 1944, Page 5

SMALL LOSSES OVER REICH

Daylight Operations LONDON, May 7. The United States Strategic. Air Force communique on today’s attacks over Germany states: —"Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the Eighth Air Force m very great strength today attacked targets in the Berlin, Munster and Osnabruck areas. Very strong forces of Thunderbolts, Lightnings, Mustangs, Canadian ■Air Force Spitfires, and Royal Air Force and Allied Mustangs of the Second Tactical Air Force escorted the bombers.” The weather was bad all the way, but the Germans have admitted that many bombs fell in the city area. Eight heavy bombers and five fighters are missing from these operations. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed. . Throughout the day Other Allied bombers kept up their onslaught against German railway supply routes across the Channel. American Marauders went for three railway targets, two in France and one in Belgium. The heaviest attack was ou railway yards at Mezieres-Charleville, about 135 miles inside France—the deepest Marauders have yet penetrated over the Continent. Their bombs fell in a triangle embracing repair shops and railway ■tracks, and the whole target area was left in smoke. Marauders Attacked. After the attack the Marauders encountered determined German fighter opposition, the first they have met for more than two months, and one Marauder was shot down. A railway yard at Serquex. near Rouen, was attacked by Mitchells, this morning, and Havocs raided other railway centres in France. Thunderbolt fighter-bombers made repeated attacks across the Channel. They dive-bombed an ammunition plant and blew up two bridges, while other forma tions got direct hits on the railway bridges which cross the Seine near Rouen, Pilots report that ammunition dumps were bombed from a low level and that four direct hits sent debris 3000 feet into the air. , , . Thunderbolts also attacked railway yards at Namur, in Belgium, this afternoon. Damage was done to rolling-stock and engine sheds. They followed this up with still more attacks on rail targets in northern France. Canadian Spitfires carried out a sweep over France today, and two Focke-Wulf 190’s were shot down within five seconds. Today’s air offensive continued well • into the evening, when large formations of Allied planes, including bombers, streamed over the south-east coast toward the north of France for an hour.