DAY AND NIGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1943, Page 3

DAY AND NIGHT

BOMBING GERMAN TARGETS WILHELMSHAVEN RAIDED BY AMERICANS. R.A.F. CAUSES DESTRUCTION IN NUREMBERG. LONDON, February 26. The target for today’s raid by American aircraft in North-West Germany was the big German naval base of Wilhelmshaven. Strong forces of Flying Fortresses and Liberators went over in what was the second attack on this target by American aircraft. The air crews saw the bombs burst on the docks. The planes met with stiff opposition on the way as well as over the target itself and on the journey back across the North Sea. R.A.F. fighters put up a covering umbrella over the last stages of the homeward trip. Seven bombers did not come back. This afternoon R.A.F. fighters were seen sweeping across the Straits of Dover towards France. Last night’s R.A.F. attack on Nuremberg is officially described as a heavy one and the Germans themselves admit destruction and casualties. This is not surprising, because apart from dropping many 40001 b. bombs, several British raiders attacked with 80001 b. bombs. The bombing of this great industrial centre was packed into 20 minutes. It had,a rapid effect on the defences as well' as soon after the raid started the whole of the searchlights went out. About 15 minutes later the searchlights began to come on again but by this time nearly all the bombs had been dropped. Nuremberg, the scene of Nazi party rallies, is one of the most important industrial centres in Southern Germany and produces tanks, armoured cars and Diesel engines. It was the fifth time that British bombers had made the 1000-mile round trip from Britain to bomb Nuremberg, which is the Nazi Party’s showpiece and is of much significance to the Nazis as Munich. . The R.A.F. raided other places . in Western Germany and also laid mines to trap enemy ships. The total losses were nine aircraft.

Off the English coast today British Typhoons shot down three German machines. Two of them were part of a small force of enemy planes which made a hit and run raid on a southwest coast town when the streets were crowded with shoppers. Many people were trapped in the debris of ruined shops. The raiders also machinegunned the streets. There were some casualties, including six persons killed. HEAVY CASUALTIES FEARED IN RAID ON ENGLISH TOWN. (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, February 26. It is feared that casualties are heavy as the result of a raid by two fighter bombers on a south-west coast of England town. The raiders scored a direct hit on the shopping centre and machine-gunned shoppers in the streets. Rescuers are reaching the debris for those believed to be trapped.