Cassino Rocked by Great Air Attack

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 66, 21 March 1944, Page 5

Cassino Rocked by Great Air Attack

(Official War Correspondent.) DIVISIONAL H.Q., March 15. It was with an American unit flying Mitchells that early this morning i went on one of those tremendous raids which to-day have rocked Cassino and the whole area around the ill-fated town. Thirty-six Mitchells took part in this attack—one of the earliest—and 36 returned. About 7 o’clock I was taken in a truck to the plane in which I was to make the trip. Cheery young Americans joked, laughed and chaffed one another unmercifully. They knew it was a hig occasion, but it was a bigger occasion for them as being the anniversary of their first operational flight. They have played a big part in the past year’s ligating. The New Zealanders rememner these Mitchells well iu the Tunisian campaign, particularly their perfect and unswerving formation. The clear, cold morning promised well for the great air assault. A man from Texas was pilot of the machine into which I clambered awkwardly, trussed up in my parachute harness, and the plane was soon skimming across the great runway, surfaced witi. j steel netting. Out to sea then and we circled to take up formation. The formation purred steadily on its course and pilots exchanged hand waves. It was not a long flight. Soon we were within the sight of the positions in which I knew the New Zealanders were located, eagerly watching the results of the air blitz which was to pave the way for their attack. They could not have been disappointed. The flashes from our guns flamed brilliantly against the green of the valley. The plane crew donned steel helmets. The smoke of earlier raids still overhung Cassino. The first 12 planes released their bombs. Above the noise of the engines I could hear the roar of the explosions. Cassino I could barely see through the dust and smoke. Our guns were still firing relentlessly. Seemingly half-hearted flak came up for a short time from the sorely tried Germans and then ceased. Our bombs were unloaded ancl the lightened plane became more animated. We turned and headed back down Italy’s glorious coastline. A few hours later I returned hy jeep. Cassino was still being pounded from the air ancl from the ground.