AIR ONSLAUGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 September 1943, Page 3

AIR ONSLAUGHT

DAV & NIGHT OPERATIONS ON GREAT SCALE AGAINST TARGETS IN GERMANY & OCCUPIED EUROPE. HANOVER HEAVILY BLASTED. LONDON, September 23. Ju one of the biggest assaults for some time on European targets, Allied air formations hit at the Germans at many points from the Low Countries to the Bay of Biscay. Flying Fortresses attacked docks and shipyards at a naval base in France. The Fortresses destroyed nine enemy fighters and Thunderbolts four. Two more enemy fighters fell to Allied aircraft over airfields in Northern France. This afternoon Marauders, escorted by Spitfires, and another force, with Whirlwinds and Typhoons as escorts, kept up the offensive against enemy airfields. Industrial targets at Rouen, trains, canals and shipping off the Dutch coast were also attacked. One heavy bomber and two fighters are missing from the morning’s attacks. Allied fighters destroyed a further nine fighters in offensive operations this afternoon, in which three Allied planes were lost. R.A.F. bombers ran into heavy opposition in last night’s blitz on Hanover, in a devastating 30 minute attack . Very large fires 'were left burning. Fighters were waiting far out and many more were concentrated over the target area. Flares were dropped to help enemy aircraft to attack the bombers. Several German night fighters were shot down. The night’s operations also included attacks on Emden, the terminus of the Dortmund-Ems canal and on Oldenburg, 27 miles from Bremen, besides mine-laying in enemy waters. Twentyseven aircraft were lost.