AIR OFFENSIVE

Evening Star, Issue 24294, 8 September 1942, Page 3

AIR OFFENSIVE

DUISBURG BOMBED AGAIN STRONG FORGE OVER INDUSTRIAL RUHR LONDON, September 7. R.A.F. bombers were again over Germany last night, when a strong force attacked Duisburg and other targets in the Ruhr. Eight aircraft are missing as the result of these operations. Duisberg was heavily bombed last month and at the end of July, and this was the fifth-fifth raid which has been made on the city. It is the largest inland port in Europe, and an important transport centre. It is the most important industrial area on the whole of the Ruhr, and its factories are packed into an area of 12 miles square. A few enemy planes were over Northeast England last night, dropping bombs which caused some damage and casualties in a town. CLEAR SKY QVER THE RUHR (British Official Wireless.) (Pec. 11,5 a.in.) RUGBY, Sept. 7. There was cloud most of the way to the target. Over the Ruhr, however, the sky cleared, and the Rhine and the docks at Duisburg and Ruhrort made excellent landmarks. After the bombing smoke rose to a great height, and there were heavy explosions. Reconnaissance aircraft which were over the Ruhr soon after dawn this morning saw large fires still burning in Duisburg and other towns further east. TARGETS IN FRANCE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 6. A communique states that Flying Fortresses and Bostons of the United States Army Air Force, escorted! by R.A.F. and Allied fighters, attacked targets in Northern France yesterday. The targets included an aeroplane factory at Meaulte, near Albert, as well as the airfields at Abbeville and St. Omer. Many squadrons of fighters escorted the bombers and made diversionary sweeps. Two Fortresses and three fighters are missing. FIRES STILL BURNING (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, September 7. The Air Ministry states that last night a strong force of bombers attacked objectives in Duisburg and elsewhere in the Ruhr. Our reconnaissance aircraft over the Ruhr this morning report large fires still burning. During the night fighters carried out offensive patrols over enemy-occupied territory. The Coastal Command! attacked shipping. The night’s operations cost eight bonibers, and on© Coastal Command plane. RAIDS BY FLYING FORTRESSES (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 7. The offensive power of the American Flying Fortresses was strikingly illustrated bv a combined communique issued in" Britain to-day, which states that United States Flying Fortresses to-day bombed the Schiedam shipyards at Rotterdam, also the Utrecht railway yards. R.A.F., dominion, and Allied fighters escorted them, and carried out diversionary sweeps. No fortresses were lost. Twelve enemy fighters were destroyed and many others probably destroyed or damaged. We lost one fighter. OTHER TARGETS BOMBED (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept 7. The Air Ministry reports that single aircraft of the Bomber Command, without loss, bombed Emden, Bremerhaven, and other targets in Western Germany early this morning-. It is now known that a third enemy fighter was destroyed last Saturday by our fighters over Northern France. WOULD CRACK UNDER BOMBING THE MEDICINE FDR JAPAN (!Rec. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 7. A few Allied 1,000 bomber raids on Japanese cities would be the best antidote to Japan’s southward spread to Australia. Writing this in the ‘ Daily Express.’ Professor Bird, late of Tokio University, said ho was convinced that the Japanese would crack under intensive bombing, as their air raid precautions were inadequate. Professor Bird, who spent 35 years in Japan, has reached Lourenco Marques aboard an exchange ship. He said Japan was wrongly advised about Australia, which she thought would either crumple up or not fight at all. But the Allies must disbelieve stories that the Japanese were short of materials and weapons.

GUNS ACROSS COVER STRAIT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 6. In a 45-minute gun duel to-night across the straits, shells from Dunkirk, Calais, and Cape Gris Nez burst in the vicinity of Dover. English and German gunners exchanged shell for shell, and over 100 shells were fired before the cannonade stopped. RUBBER SALVAGE IN AUSTRALIA CANBERRA, September 7. Nearly 3,000 tons of scrap rubber, including more than 20,000 old tyres, were collected in Australia up to the end of August. ARRIVAL AT GIBRALTAR BRITISH NAVAL UNITS LONDON, September 7. The Vichy radio states that the British battleship Malaya, one cruiser, and four destroyers have arrived at Gibraltar. as well as 20 other armed ships and a score of fast vessels of the kind used at Dieppe. NEW GERMAN BOMBER LONDON, September 5. According to the journal, the ‘Aeroplane,’ Germany’s newest and largest bomber, the Heinkel 177, which is comparable with the Lancaster, made its first raid on Britain on August 28, when it bombed Bristol in daylight.