FIRES IN THE RUHR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 January 1943, Page 3

FIRES IN THE RUHR

NINTH BRITISH RAID THIS MONTH INTENSE DAYTIME ACTIVITY OVER CHANNEL. MANY FIGHTERS SEEN FLYING LOW. LONDON, January 22. There was a great amount of air activity over the English Channel today. Correspondents tell of squadrons of fighters, flying almost at roof level, crossing and recrossing the coast. Four-engine bombers of the Bomber Command raided objectives in the Ruhr last night, for the ninth time this month. The pilots saw large fires burning by the time they left. Heavy clouds prevented them from seeing how much damage was done. The Germans made a great Effort to defend this nerve-centre of the Reich. Night fighters and anti-aircraft guns were active. Four bombers were lost. MINOR RAIDS ON SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, January 22. It is* officially stated that early last night a few enemy aircraft dropped bombs on places near the coast in South-East England. There were no casualties and only slight damage was done.

ON LARGE SCALE ALLIED OFFENSIVE. OVER NORTHERN FRANCE & BELGIUM. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. Noon.) RUGBY, January 22. An Air Ministry communique states that offensive operations on a large scale were carried out early this afternoon over Northern France and Belgium. The Bomber Command attacked oil installations at Terneuzen, near Ghent, and airfields at Maupertus, in the Cherbourg Peninsula, Abbeville ■St. Omer. Many squadrons of R.A.F., American, Dominion and Allied fighters also participated. Six of our fighters are missing. According to another message states that ten German planes were destroyed and that four British bombers and six fighters are missing. Soon after midday today, an Australian Hampden scored a torpedo hit on an enemy ■supply ship off Stavanger, in Norway.