AIRCRAFT BUSY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 October 1943, Page 3

AIRCRAFT BUSY

WIDESPREAD OPERATIONS IN ITALIAN AREA RAILWAY WAGONS DESTROYED. FIVE TRAINS ATTACKED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) RUGBY, October 14. Besides attacking German communications in Italy, Allied bombers and fighters raided Tirana aerodrome, in Albania. A communique states: “Medium bombers of the North-West African air forces attacked the town of Alife and the road junction at Sessesurunca, 12 miles behind Volturno and the airfield at Tirana yesterday. Lightnings escorted the medium bombers to Tirana. Bivouac areas were attacked near Vasto. Fighters patrolled the Eighth Army front while fighter-bombers and light bombers attacked tank and troop concentrations in the Fifth Army battle area. Light bombers on Tuesday night attacked enemy troops and made a direct hit on an ammunition dump. Last night railway lines and a seaplane base south of Orbetello were attacked by night bombers. During these operations two enemy fighters were destroyed. One of our aircraft is missing.” The two fighters destroyed were Messerschmitts. They were with fourteen others, some of which were damaged. Five trains were strafed by Warhawks north of Pescara. Two locomotives and 51 wagons were destroyed, as well as another locomotive and thirty wagons. At one point two lines of wagons were found at a standstill and over forty were damaged or derailed. The Marauders heavily bombed Alife, covering the town with bombs.