SHORT-LIVED LULL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 195, 16 May 1944, Page 5

SHORT-LIVED LULL

Reduced Air Operations Over Europe MOSQUITO RAID ON COLOGNE ('By Telegraph.—Press Assn. Copyright.) LONDON- May 15. After a lull caused by bad weather, the aerial offensive was continued, from Britain in daylight today, when American Liberators and Fortresses attacked military targets in northern France. ~ . Last night R.A.F. Mosquitoes attacked Cologne and targets in France and the Low Countries. Not a single plane was lost. German' raiders were over south ana south-east England at widely scattered points, dropping bombs which caused damage and some casualties. Fourteen of the raiders were shot down, and intruders bagged another over its aerodrome in occupied territory. Reduced Operations. (Received May 15, 9.40 p.m.) RUGBY, May 14After 26 days of pounding transport and military targets in occupied Europe, aircraft of the Second Tactical Air Force had a virtual day of rest today, when bad weather reduced operations. Spitfire fighters, however, taking advantage of more favourable conditions later in the day, harassed the enemy. There were no reports up to 3 p.m. today of air activity from Britain last night or today. The German radio today did not carry the usual “achtung” warnings. Aircraft of one squadron today attached a 1006-ton vessel off Flushing, and left it blazing amidships. Another squadron “trailed its coat” in search of trouble in the area east of Paris, bounded by Rheims, Melun, and Compeigne. No German fighters responded, but 20 barges were attacked with cannon fire, strikes being observed on many. The Air Ministry states: “Beaufighters of Coastal Command, escorted by Mustangs, attacked a strongly-guarded enemy convoy off the Dutch coast this afternoon. Two merchant vessels were hit with torpedoes, and one of the escort vessels was left listing heavily. . One Beaufighter is missing.” The fact that the spell of calm, fine, summer-like weather in the Straits of Dover gave place today to a cold northeasterly wind, almost ■of gale strength, may have accounted for the small-scale Allied crossiOhannel air operations. Mosquitoes patrolling eastern France shot down a Heinkel 111. Spitfires over France shot up a freight train. Allied raiders were more active from Italian bases.

United States Ninth Air Force fighters set two new distance records yesterday. Thunderbolt fighter-bombers late in the afternoon made the longest range divebombers’ attack ever flown from Britain, striking at the mimicipal. airfield, at Bremen, Germany. Earlier, Mustang fighters escorting heavy bombers to Stettin, in eastern Germany, made the longest fighter round trip in the Ninth's history. The dive-bombing attack, 700 miles in all, carried the Thunderbolts 100 miles further into enemy territory than any other such attack yet made. Two fighter-bombers failed to return, umu el