COLOGNE & MILAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1943, Page 3

COLOGNE & MILAN

TARGETS OF LATEST R.A.F. I RAIDS ROME REPORTS ADMIT GREAT DAMAGE. SPITFIRES IN ACTION OVER FRANCE. LONDON, February 15. R.A.F. bombers last night macle heavy raids on Cologne and Milan. The Air Ministry has not yet given full ’details of the damage done. Earlier reports stated that a great weight of bombs was sent down in Cologne’s 112th raid. Some of the city’s many factories make Diesel engines and accumulators for U-boats, but the Germans have had less than a fortnight to repair the damage done in the last attack. The anti-aircraft guns were not as active as usual, but night-fighters were sent out. The raid began at about 8 o'clock. Two hours later, other R.A.F. bombers flew ovei’ the Alps and bombed Milan in bright moonlight. They left large fires in the factory area. Rome says the bombers came over in several waves and caused great damage. Some of the British aircraft bombed the Italian naval base at Spezzia, where Italian submarines are built. The anti-aircraft fire was ineffective and no Italian fighters went into the air.

Eleven bombers were lost in the night’s operations. Many squadrons of Spitfires roared across the Channel this afternoon, making for France. The targets attacked have not yet been disclosed. There were no raiders over Britain today.