R.A.F. RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 2 June 1943, Page 3

R.A.F. RAIDS

France and Low Countries

RUGBY, May 31

R.A.F. bombers on Monday, with fighter escort, attacked targets m Northern France and the Low Countries, including Cherbourg, Caen and Zeebrugge. Explosions on the French coast betwene Calais and Boulogne, believed to have been caused bv bursting bombs, were seen from the English side of the Channel early on Monday evening. The explosions sent, up high dense smoke. Over the Channel, aircraft were also heard, and the sound of A.A. gunfire came from across the Channel.

Two FW 190’s were destroyed by Spitfires of the Fighter Command on Monday evening. They were shot down by a Canadian Wing carryingout a diversionary sweep during an attack by Venturas on Zeebrugge, at the same time that Mitchell bombers were attacking Flushing, states the Air Ministry News Service. The Canadian Wing engaged a number of enemy fighters over Nieuport and near Bruges. During a running light with about thirty enemy fighters, the Wing Commander leading the Wing saw one FW 190 dive into’ the sea, while another- pilot saw a parachute opening as the victim baled out over Nieuport. Other Spitfires escorted Venturas and Mitchells and as a result none of the bombers was missing. Spitfires also provided cover for Ventura bombers, when they attacked the docks at Cherbourg and Caen airfield. These attacks were also carried out without loss, although a number of F.W. 90’s attempted to intercept the bombers raiding Caen. They were driven off by fighters, it is officially stated that one R.A.F. fighter is missing.

RUHR DAMAGE.

LONDON, May 31. A “Daily Mail” aviation export says: Exponents of the win the war bv bombing theory are seeing their ideas tried out. If the present offensive fails in that supreme objective, no harm will be done, for the Allies wiR then have put into operation the wishes of the other school, which regards the bomber as- the great softener up of tl;e enemy, preliminary to ground forces going in. That is the inner means of the masses of air raids launched from all quarters, which might to the layman appear haphazard and unrelated. The “Daily Express” Stockholm correspondent says: Germany’s vital Ruhr has become a “square of death” on which ten and a-half thousand tons of bombs have fallen within a month. Duisburg. Dortmund, Dusseldorf, and Wuppertal stand as corners of the square. The correspondent calls it an area of lost men in the heart of Germany, over which desolation is spread. He adds:. News from! Germany builds up a grim picture of idle factories and railways thrown into chaos, homeless people wandering the streets and angry Nazi officials shouting orders to demonstrators, who are protesting that their relief is inadequate. What Germany fears is that the invasion of Italy will give the Allies air bases from which attacks can be launched, against the Reich and Austria — where big industries are now established —as well as attacks from the West.

Commenting on the R.A.F.’s recent raids on western Germany, “Westfaelische Zeitung” says: A few days after the very heavy raid on Bochum, and before we managed to bury its victims, and were still busy assisting the homeless, the flood from the destroyed dam caused endless misery ami terrible destruction in other parts of the region. We face to-day the tact that the whole of the Westphalia region is affected somehow or other by these catastrophies.

Amonp- targets hit in a recent R.A.F. raid on the Ruhr was a synthetic oil plant and chemical works of considerable importance to .the enemy—a factory capable of producing ] a hundred thousand tons of synthetic oil annually. This was the plant of the Ruhr Cheme A. G. and Associated Company, and the Ruhr Benzin A. G. at Sterkrade, about six miles from Duisburg. Air photographs show that important sections of the factory were damaged, including the main storage silo for nitrogenous material, a group of water and gas generators, the main gasholders, as well as other buildings, offices and workshops. Experts consider the damage done will keep the factory out of' production for a long time. About one quarter of the Axis oil production is synthetic and there is evidence of a growing shortage of oil in Germany. The United States Army Eighth Air Force made a record day-time contribution to the mounting round-the-clock offensive from Britain during May. This included nine major attacks by heavy bombers against, vital enemy targets in Germany, Holland. Belgium and France, representing a seventy per cent, gain over any previous month in weight, of bombs or enemy targets Three hundred and fifty-one enemy fighters were destroyed by bombers, which was more than twice the previous highest monthly total. Also during May, American medium bombers were first used in Europe as well as the- newest American high altitude fighter P 47 Thunderbolt. Over two thousand sorties were made during the month. The losses were seventy-two bombers and nine fighters. Squadron-Leader C. F. Gray, D.F.C. and Bar, of Gisborne, who was awarded the D. 5.0., and SquadronLeader K. F. Thiele, D. 5.0., of Christchurch who was awarded a Bar to the D.F.C., increase the list of New Zealand airmen holding triple decorations. Gray, who is commanding a squadron in Tunisia, has now shot down 21 Germans, and leads Wing Cmmander Alan Deere, D.SiO., D.F.C. and Bar, of Wanganui, who has shot down 20. They flew together at Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain, and have kept pace with each other/ in both scores and decorations. Flight-Lieutenant. A. Checkets, of Invercargill; shot down a Fockewc.lfe 190 and shared in the destruction of another in the flight over Caen.