ATTACKED BY R.A.F.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1943, Page 3

ATTACKED BY R.A.F.

RAILWAYS BETWEEN FRANCE & ITALY MOSQUITOES RAID BERLIN. ALERT SOUNDED IN WESTERN SWITZERLAND. LONDON, September 17. R.A.F. bombers from Britain last night attacked enemy railway communicamtions between France and Italy. Mosquito bombers attacked targets in Berlin. Radio stations in France and Germany went off the air early in the evening, and Zurich reports that an alert was sounded in Western Switzerland. VIADUCT SMASHED MARSHALLING YARDS HEAVILY BLASTED. DAMAGE DONE ON APPROACH TO TUNNEL. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, September 17. The Air Ministry states: “Last night aircraft of the Bomber Command attacked the enemy’s railway communications between France and Italy. A heavy and concentrated attack was made on marshalling yards at Modene, a French frontier town near the opening of the Mont Cenis tunnel. Lancasters made a low-level attack on a viaduct near St. Raphael. Mosquitoes attacked objectives in Berlin. Four of our bombers are missing.” Both railways between France and Italy were attacked by our home-based bombers last night, states the Air Ministry news service. By far the heaviest attack was made by Lancasters, Halifaxes and Stirlings on the marshalling yards at Modene ,which are only a few hundred yards from the opening of the tunnel. Hundreds of tons of high explosives and incendiaries were dropped along the full length of the yards. The opposition was negligible. A Viaduct over which the main railway runs along the Mediterranean coast was the target for a small force of Lancasters which attacked from an average height of 300 feet. There was no cloud and the crews saw the viaduct clearly. They reported that one arch was destroyed and that delayed action bombs were still exploding. TWO ARMED SHIPS

ATTACKED BY NEW ZEALAND TYPHOONS. 1 BOTH VESSELS LEFT ABLAZE (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) LONDON, September 17. . A New Zealand Typhoon squadron attacked and set fire to two powerfully armed ships near .Le Havre yesterday, each pilot making three runs over the ships. A second Typhoon squadron went in, increasing the damage, and both ships were left ablaze. Three of our aircraft are missing. Mosquitos, Typhoons and Whirlwinds carried" out widespread attacks on France, Belgium and Holland in moonlight last night, states the Air Ministry news service. Mosquitos bombed airfields,' gunned dispersal areas at Dijon and Chateau Rouxe, damaged 13 locomotives in North France and attacked eight barges near Dijon. Typhoons bombed airfields at Laon, Florennes and Merville and attacked barges at Termonde and Axel.