U-BOAT BASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1943, Page 4

U-BOAT BASES

DAV AND NIGHT ATTACKS BY AMERICAN AND BRITISH BOMBERS. MANY BLOWS STRUCK ALSO AT AXIS TRANSPORT. LONDON, January 24. The Air and United States headquarters anBourice that Flying Fortresses attacked the submarine bases at Lorient and Brest yesterday. Visibility was good, and excellent results were obtained. Squadrons of Dominion and Allied fighters covered the bombers ;as far as Brittany. Enemy fighter opposition was encountered in the target area, and a number were destroyed. Five bombers are missing.

R.A.F. night bombers attacked the U■boat base at Lorient, only two hours after American Flying Fortresses had left. The attack was all over in 20 minutes ,and a great weight of high explosives and incendiaries was dropped. A force of four-engine bombers attacked other enemy targets in Western Germany. Three British aircraft were lost in the raids. An Air Ministry bulletin says that Mustangs of the Army Co-operation Command had another successful- day’s operations over northern France. The pilots of one squadron hit 17 locomotives and attacked three more with unobserved results. In 50 minutes one section of the squadron inflicted many casualties on a company of German troops, attacked six trains and saw hits on all engines, attacked two large barges, a dredge and three tugs. They set one tug on fire. Pilots of other Mustangs over France brought the total of railway engines attacked to 27.

Medium bombers took part in daylight operations yesterday afternoon. Last night R.A.F. aircraft carried out reconnaissance over Western Germany.