FACTORIES RAIDED IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 235, 1 July 1944, Page 8

FACTORIES RAIDED IN GERMANY

Fighter-Bombers Busy SUPPORT FOR GROUND

OPERATIONS (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) RUGBY, June ,29. Very strong 1 areas of United States ■ Flying Fortresses and Liberators this morning attacked aircraft factories aLeipzig, Ocschersleben, Aschersleben, and Fallersleben (near Brunswick), a synthetic oil refinery at Bohlen, neat Leipzig, and a number of other military and industrial targets in central Germany. The bombers were escorted by very strong forces of United States Mustangs, Thunderbolts, ami Lightnings. „ , ... Factories at Leipzig. Oeschersleben. and Aschersleben were severely damaged during attacks in February, and since then they have been partly rebuilt, me Lcipzigheitrblick factory manufactures components for MelOO’s. Aschersleben makes components for JuBBs, and Oeseiiersleben manufactures components lor assembling FWlOO’s. A JuSS components and wing repair plant at 1-a lert,]<*ben was damaged on June and tnc Bohlen synthetic oil plant was damaged on May 12. . . , More than IuOO American , aircraft were engaged in this morning s raid. Thirty-six enemy aircraft were shot down aud a’further 10 destroyed on the ground. Spitfire, lighter, and fighter-bomber pilots of the Second Tactical Air Force, operating from airstrips in France, had a very busy aud most successful day yesterday. when they flew. more than t>o<» sorties and destroyed 20 enemy aircraft for the loss of seven, with one pilot safe. Luftwaffe Losses. An Eighth Air Force Fighter Command communique states that its fighters, during the first 23 days of the invasion, destroyed 201 enemy planes and also destroyed or damaged more than 100 on tlie ground. , , Lancasters of the Bomber Command this afternoon attacked flying bomb installations in northern France. Five bombers are missing. It is now known that at least 13 enemy night fighters were destroyed and many others damaged during an attack hist jii-ht by the Bomber Command on the railway’ yards nt Metz and Blainville. One Halifax group alone had 2S combats and destroyed eight enemy planes.. Marauders this afternoon broke into a gun duel to silence four German gun positions at Cup de la Hague. The Marauders swept in from GOUO feet. No guns were firing when the Marauders departed. ‘■Thick cloud and rain squalls restricted air operations this morning. Fighterbombers. however, continued their attacks on enem.v troops and transport moving .toward the battle area,” says today’s communique. ‘■Their targets included road and railway bridges near Montfort-sur-•Jlisle, Clierisy, and St. Paul Courtonne, ’west of Bernay, locomotives and trains 'lit Orleans, and near Flcrs, and the rail’way junction at Vierzon. “Attacks were made on , enemy I>hoats and minesweepers off Le Trcport and against self-propelled barges at Uauderec, near the mouth of the Seine. "In a series of encounters 11 enem.v planes were shot down for the loss of four." The Luftwaffe is now faking part m the battle, with about 200 aircraft a flay, save a Press Association message. Nearly all of them are fighters, but they are working nt a disadvantage because • the Allied blitz of the airfields in France has virtually forced the Luftwaffe to retreat 100 miles inland. The German planes now have to come from south of the River Loire, from beyond Paris, njid even near the Belgian frontier. Moreover, in many cases they have to use hurriedly prepared makeshift sir strips.

TRANSPORT AFFECTED Little Moving Behind Enemy Lines

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 29. After yesterday's victories by Nor-jnandy-based Spitfires which destroyed -•> fighters, probably destroyed three, and damaged eight more, the, Luftwaffe was not in evidence early.this morning, but Spitfires were attacking transport on roads and hidden near hedges.. By .10 n.m. they had destroyed 32 vehicles and damaged 25 others. A correspondent, at headquarters says pilots told him no trains were running anywhere near Hie front line area, and all the marshalling yards appear to be ■entirely unserviceable. They also report hundreds of burnt-out vehicles by Hie roadsides and iu vehicle parks. There do not appear to be very many vehicles on the move. Some of those destroyed this morning were armoured.

LOW FUEL RESERVES May Haye Quietened Luftwaffe (Received June 30. 9 p.m.) NEW YOUK, June 29.

Lack of oil resulting from the determined Allied bombing of German refineries and synthetic oil plants is believed by the military authorities to be one of Hie principal reasons why the Luftwaffe is not flying, says the “New York Times'’ Washington correspoudeiiL It is known lhe Nazis still have the (Janes and fuel, but are apparently worried about their fuel reserves, for which reason they are hoarding tlie .Luftwaffe for some particularly vital defence. The authorities pointed out that the Allied strategic bombing of Europe i-i fuick in full swing, and for tills reason German hopes for a breathing spell while Hie Allied air forces were engaged supporting the invasion is evidently doomed to ilisappointmt-nt. Summarising tlie effects of the bombing of German oil sources by aircraft from Britain .and Italy, n communique issued ai advanced Allied headquarters in Italy states that so much damage has been done to oil plants iu attacks from the Baltic to the Black Sea (tint tlie enemy's stored reserves are now his main “cushion” against having Ms military machine brought to a grinding halt. These reserves arc now bi'ing used in lighting in France and Russia, as well ns Italy, and nre being used up at a faster rate than ever before.

Bcdween .April 1 and June 15 29 attacks were made by Mediterranean bombers against. 22 refineries and two oil storage depots. Of the 22 refineries, only two were possibly active on June 15; and since then there have been other nt tricks. Nearly -18(10 aircraft dropped .11.000 tons of bombs. .After eight attacks or. the I’loesti refineries which accounted f«r Gt) {ler cent, of the total refined output and 35 per cent, of the whole enemy oil production, output is nt; low ebb, and ninny plants will be out of commission for months. More than half the total German synthetic oil production inis been knocked out by ntlm-ks ■from Britain. BUCHAREST RAH) (British Official Wireless.) ( Received June 30. 7 p.m.) RUGBY, June 29.

In yesterday's Allied raid on two nil refineries; in the Bucharest area, and the Chitila railyards, a force of 51 Mustangs swept tlie Bucharest area and scattered about 50. MelOO's massing for an attack on (lie bomber formations. They also acted as escorts to the bombers. Rightera destroyed 17 of the total of 22. stint down out of flu- 135 encountered.