ATTACK ON SOFIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1943, Page 3

ATTACK ON SOFIA

ACCURATE & EFFECTIVE AIR BOMBARDMENT

ELEVEN ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN.

CABINET RESIGNATIONS REPORTED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright? LONDON, December 11.

A communique from the Allied North-West African . headquarters ■states that the railway yards at Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, received an accurate and effective bombardment yesterday by heavy bombers, which were escorted by long-range fighters. Strong fighter reaction occurred, and a number of enemy aircraft were shot down. Emergency sessions of the Bulgarian Cabinet are reported from Sofia. Liberators carried out the air raid, which was the third against the Bulgarian capital. They were escorted by Lightnings, and about 40 enemy fighters tried to intercept the Allied formation over the city itself and later over the Albanian coast. The enemy lost 11 of their number without bringing down, a single bomber. The Hungarian news agency quoted the Bulgarian Prime Minister, General Bojilov, as saying that considerable damage was caused in Sofia. Vichy radio broadcast a report from Sofia that 80 British and American planes attempted to reach the city and only 20 of them succeeded.

The Budapest radio said that the raid interrupted a conference of the Bulgarian Government party. The Istanbul correspondent of the British United Press says that the Bulgarian Premier and also the Foreign Minister, M. Shishmanov, and the Minister of the Interior, M. Miahailov, have resigned. According to reports from Sofia the resignations are said to be due to the strength of the Bulgarian Opposition.