POWERFUL BLOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1943, Page 3

POWERFUL BLOW

STRUCK BY AMERICAN BOMBERS IN DAYLIGHT ATTACK ON U-BOAT YARDS HEAVY DAMAGE EFFECTED. MANY ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN. LONDON, March 19. United States headquarters in Britain have given details regarding a big daylight raid by American bombers macle yesterday on important Üboat yards near Bremen. The raiding force, consisting of Flying Fortresses and Liberators, was the largest the Americans have yet sent over Germany, and a flight of nearly 400 miles was made by the bombers without fighter escort. The weather was clear, A record number of bombs were dropped with good results, many hits being scored on. the yard. Photographs show that the high-level bombing was very effective. A key centre was damaged and at least 18 other buildings were wiped out or badly damaged. It is not known how many German fighters were knocked out, but the Americans are reported to have got their biggest bag so far. The .previous record was 25. Some of the fighters sent up by the Germans were painted black and silver, for night flying. Two of the American bombers failed to get back. FOUR NAZI RAIDERS DESTROYED OVER BRITISH EAST COAST. BOMBS CAUSE CASUALTIES & Damage. LONDON, March 19. When German planes raided the sast coast of Britain, four were destroyed. The raiders dropped high explosives and incendiaries, doing some damage and causing casualties. DIRECT HITS ON BUILDING & REPAIR YARDS. PENETRATION OF INNER DEFENCES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) RUGBY, March 19. The U-boat building yards attacked by the American bombers are those at Vegesack, some 15 miles north-west of Bremen. Direct hits were reported on one of the largest U-boat building and repair yards. The crews of the Flying Fortresses and Liberators fought their way through heavy flak and fighter opposition. High-flying bombers penetrated to the inner defences of the shipbuilding centre. Enemy fighter aircraft, estimated to number from 50 to 75 in the air at one time, delivered their first attacks as the bombers went in over the Frisian Islands and continued until they were well out over the sea on their return. Some groups reported continuing encounters for an hour and 45 minutes. The submarine installations observed by the crews included a power plant and partially completed U-boats in shelters. One crew reported a direct hit on a submarine.