IMPORTANT ENEMY BRIDGES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 190, 10 May 1944, Page 5

IMPORTANT ENEMY BRIDGES

Wrecked By Allies LONDON, May 8. In addition to the American onslaught over Germany, approximately 290 .Marauders swept out today in a twopronged attack against military objectives in northern France and over 100 Thunderbolts engaged in a wide sweep over the Continent. Spitfires operated in the Cambrai area. Thunderbolts continued the attack against communications in occupied France, dive-bombing a railway bridge at Mezieres and the arterial highway between Mantest and Gassicourt. Marauder crews reported good hits again on a railway bridge near Rouen which is an important link between inland centres and Channel ports. Mosquitoes, Spitfires and Typhoon fighter-bombers this afternoon attacked targets in France, including the railway centre at Bethune and an airfield near . Dinard. Bridge Dive-bombed. How the important double-track eightspan concrete railway bridge over the River Oise at Hirson, in France, was destroyed by Thunderbolt fighter-bombers is described in an official communique giving details of air operations fropl Britain this evening. After dive-bombing the bridge, the Thunderbolts remained over the target to watch debris float down the river. The enemy put up neither fighters nor anti-aircraft fire. The pilots carried out the attack in leisurely fashion. The first attackers scored several hits and sent the middle span hurtling into the river. Then two pilots dived simultaneously on each end and-deliberately planted explosives under the spans on the adjoining bank. There is nothing left of the bridge now. Late this afternoon Liberators bombed railway yards near . Brussels, and Fortresses bombed military installations in the Pas de Calais and Cherbourg areas. They were escorted by Thunderbolts. No enemy fighters interfered with the attacks, which were made in good visibility, but the aircraft flew through intense flak. Five of the bombers are missing. Belgian Bridge Hit.

Striking across the Channel in waves for the second series of attacks of the day, escorted by Marauders and Havocs, fanned over the. Continent this evening to attack railway bridges at Namur, Belgium, an airfield at Evreux-Fauville, and military objectives along the coast. Bombs formed a pattern squarely across the Namur bridge, which carries a double railway line across the Meuse on the route from the Belgian coast to Luxembourg. One Marauder is missing. Paris radio said: “Northern France has been bombed almost without interruption for the past 36 hours. The cathedral at Arras was damaged today. The region of Rouen and a locality north west of the Seine-et-Oise Department was also raided, over 100 people being killed.”