ACTIVE RAIDING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1943, Page 3

ACTIVE RAIDING

BY BRITISH HOME-BASED PLANES ON LAND AND SEA TARGETS. SHIPS DAMAGED OFF DUTCH COAST. (British Official Wireless.. RUGBY, July 18. The Air Ministry states: “Mustangs on patrol off the Dutch coast shot down two enemy aircraft yesterday morning. Typhoon bombers, escorted and supported by fighters, attacked an enemy airfield at Abbeville last evening. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed by fighters. “Late last evening, Coastal Command Beaufighters, escorted by Spitfires and Typhoons, attacked an enemy convoy off Den Helder and damagedtwo ships. Four enemy fighters were destroyed. Two Beaufighters of the Coastal Command and six fighters are missing.” BOMBING EFFECTS ’ THOUSAND ACRES DEVASTATED IN COLOGNE. ALL SERVICES DISLOCATED. LONDON, July 19. Cologne, which was heavily raided on June 28, July 3 and July 8, is still without gas and electricity. A Berlin radio reporter stated; “For days the town has been fed from soup kitchens because gas and electricity are cut off. The shops are unable to sell goods, and traffic is particularly difficult. The] wires have been destroyed and hardly one tram gets through.” At least 1000 acres were devastated in Cologne on June 28, and much damage has been done to the submarine engine works. So much smoke hung over the city after the raids on June 28 and July 3 that interpretation of photographs was difficult. Reconnaissance a week after the raids revealed that fires were still burning. Many important factories were badly damaged, also railways and barracks. The air assault on' Germany and the occupied countries has been aimed at dislocating traffic, and the damage to factories is likely to cause a bottle-neck in the production of replacements.