Daylight Raid on Berlin a Catastrophe

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 56, 9 March 1944, Page 5

Daylight Raid on Berlin a Catastrophe

Berliners See Invasion Very Near (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Thursday, 12.15 a.m. LONDON, March 8. German radio commentators admit that the daylight raid on Berlin on Monday caused very great damage. Indeed the Oslo radio says competent German circles consider the raid a catastrophe. Berliners refer to it as ■ ‘ Bloody Monday. ’ ’ One Berlin radio commentator said that as a concentrated raid it had not attained its aim of destroying the heart of Berlin. The main attack had to be suffered by two suburban areas. The Daily Mail’s Stockholm correspondent, quoting an eyewitness who has arrived from Berlin, says Berliners after the raid believe that the Allied invasion is very near. Three bombladen Fortresses crashed near the Friedrechstrasse, Potsdameplatz and the Tiergarten. An Air Ministry communique says: “Bomber Command planes last night heavily attacked the railway yards at Le Mans (near Paris). Mosquitoes attacked objectives in Western Germany. None of our planes are missing. Allied Air Forces Busy in Italy Received Wednesday, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, March 8. A communique from Advanced Headquarters in Italy reports that patrols were active on all fronts. There were no changes along the front. Heavy snow in the mountains and deep mud in the valleys made all movements difficult. Escorted heavy bombers yesterday attacked the naval base of Toulon and hit railway facilities at Prato, Pontassieve, Castel Fiorentino and the airfields at Orvieto, Viterobbo and Fabrica di Roma, the latter 32 miles north of Rome. Medium bombers bombed the railway yards at Ostinense and Littorio and the docks at Porto San Stefano. Light bombers in cooperation with the ground forces attacked gun positions, railways and road transport in the battle area. Bombers last night attacked Porto San Stefano. Five enemy planes were destroyed and four of ours are missing. Altogether 1300 sorties were flown.