DAYLIGHT ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1943, Page 3

DAYLIGHT ATTACKS

ON AIRFIELDS IN SOUTH ITALY

43 ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN.

EIGHT ALLIED AIRCRAFT MISSING

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, August 17.

The R.A.F’s. raid on Turin last night was the 31st. Italy was also attacked by Middle East aircraft, which shot down 43 enemy fighters. A communique states that a large force of Liberators of the Ninth United States Air Force, carried out a successful attack on enemy airfields near Foggia in daylight yesterday. The landing ground at Tortorella, one of the targets, was heavily covered by bombs, and fires were started, including two on lines alongside the landing ground. Similarly effective results were secured on the airfield of San Nicola, where, in addition to numerous hits on the landing ground, workshops, administration buildings and living quarters were damaged. Upwards of 100 enemy fighters attempted to interfere with the operations, and of these 42 are claimed to have been destroyed by the bombers. The enemy machines destroyed included 29 Messerschmitt 109 s, four Focke-Wulf 190 s, two Messerschmitt 210 s, one Messerschmitt 110, and seven Macchi 2025. Eight of our aircraft are missing from these and other operations.” Foggia is an important communications centre in Puglia Province 20 , miles inland from the Gulf of Manfredonia, on the heel of Italy.