Heavy Bombers Raid Rome’s Railway Stations

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 53, 6 March 1944, Page 5

Heavy Bombers Raid Rome’s Railway Stations

REPORTED DAMAGE TO SACRED BUILDINGS Received Sunday, 7.15 p.m. LONDON, March 5. Again the devastating fury of a belligerent attack has struck against the vast areas of Rome, says the Vatican radio, quoting the Vatican’s paper Osservatore Romano. Many innocent civilians lost their lives last Friday and many buildings were destroyed, including the Church of San Benedetto and the beautiful windows of St. Paul Basilica were smashed to pieces. Such attacks may be classed as atrocities, said the radio. Flying Portresses on Friday for the first time in six months bombed military objectives in Rome, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The targets were the Littorio and Tiburtina railway yards which were both well covered by bombs. This is the first daylight heavy bomber attack against Rome since July and August before the fall of Mussolini. The Rome radio said two bombs fell near St. Peter’s Cathedral. There was debris in St. Peter’s Square. The radio added that light iormations heavily raided the city. One area was particularly heavily hit and bodies are being dug from a large shelter which received a direct hit while crammed with men. women and children. (The Tiburtina yards are two and three-quarter miles from the Vatican.)