Daily Post - 03.09.1943, Blaðsíða 1

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BERLIN TOOK CRIPPLING
BLOWS IN WEEK’S RAIDS
London. — According to the reports of the air crews
who took part in Tuesday night’s raid on Berlin, the German
capital and Hitler’s war industries have received a crippling
blow.
The raid is described as one of the biggest ever made by
the R.A.F. against German targets, which, although the
bomb load delivered is not given, is an indication of its
weight.
The Germans tried out new tactics, trying to trap the
bombers in the light of flares dropped from a great height.
But this worked both ways, and during the many combats
which developed, many night fighters were shot down.
Above the German capital the whole sky was brilli-
antly lit by thousands of flares, shellbursts, searchlights,
and the glow of the first underneath. The raid lasted 45
minutes, and to late arrivals the huge city appeared one
mass of flame.
Air Offensive Continues Off
The Southern Coast of Italy
♦------------
Japs Blitzed in
Pacific Battles
London. — In the South-
West Pacific, Allied land forces
are closing in on the airfield at
Salamaua in New Guinea.
In air combats over the Buin
and Faisi islands in the Solo-
mons, 36 out of 60 Japanese
aircraft were shot down for the
Joss of six Allied planes.
A dispatch from Austrlia to-
day indicates that the Japanese
ihave abandoned Rikata Bay on
5t. Isobel Island.
Rikata Bay was made by the
•Japanese into a big sea plane
base, and has been a regular
target for Allied bombers these
many months past. But the last
time they paid a visit to it, they
rniet with no opposition, wher-
eas in the past they have al-
-ways had to contend with
heavy anti aircraft fire.
If the Japanese have pulled
■out—and this has not yet been
confirmed—it means that only
one strong point now separates
the Allied forces in New Geor-
gia from the Buin-Faisi area,
.and this is Kolumbengara Is-
land, which was recently out-
flanked by the Allied landing
on Vila la'Vila Island.
A dispatch from New Delhi
.reports that during August Al-
lied aircraft in Burma kept up
attacks against the enemy ev-
ery day of the month, as well
as on some nights. The main
attacks were directed against
river craft and supply sampans,
which the Japanese use extens-
ively to supply their occupyir.g
troops inland. Of these craft,
which can shelter under and
among river growth, 600 were
sunk or damaged last month.
Brief. In Indianapolis, Ar-
my Lieut. Irving Levy, peace
time lawyer, briefed the ser-
vice rules for WAVE Harriet
Mindich after she failed to sa-
lute him. She replied. Last
week they were married.
LIGHT BOMBERS
HIT RAIL LINES
London. — Bad weather
yesterday kept Allied heavy
daylight bombers grounded,—
something the Luftwaffe has
not been able to do. But med-
ium and light bombers, Balti-
mores, Bostons, Mitchells, and
Spitfire fighters continued the
air offensive against southern
Italy, concentrating mainly on
rail communications, trans-
ports and supply centres.
Targets in Sardinia were al-
so attacked, among them the
vitally important zinc factory
at Iglesia, which received five
direct hits.
Wellingtons last night again
attacked the railway junctiom
at Aversa, north of Naples. Re-
ports say that the railway sys-
tem of Civita Vecchia is now
completely blocked, as a result
of the Allied air attacks.
Damage from the blasting by
naval vessels of both coasts ear-
lier is also a serious factor.
POWERFUL NAVAL FORCE
GATHERING AT GIBRALTAR
London. -— Swiss messages,
as well as Vichy reports today
speak of Allied fleet concen-
trations in the Mediterranean.
One dispatch tells of a for-
midable naval force now gath-
ered at Gibraltar, consisting of
four aircraft carriers, two
battleships, three cruisers, 20
destroyers, three troop ships,
besides 45 other vessels.
The messages also report the
landing of huge Allied troop
concentrations in North Africa,
and the continuous arrival of
reinforcements of all kinds.
DAY RAID ON HOLLAND
In daylight yesterday, Bos-
ton flown by pilots of the
Fighting French Lorraine
Squadron attacked the mar-
shalling yards at Rosendaal in
Holland. At the same time ene-
my sea going barges were suc-
cessfully strafed by Typhoons,
all of which came back safely.
Biiss Gaio Along
650'Mile Frost
London. — In Russia, the
Red Army is advancing prac-
tically all along the 650 mile
battlefront from the Smolensk
sector to the Sea of Azov, and
during the last twenty-four
hours, the Germans have lost
four important towns and com-
munication centres.
Moscow messages today re-
port that in smashing the last
German resistance at Tagan-
rog, the losses inflicted by the
Russians include the capture of
5,000 prisoners and the killing
of 35,000 German officers and
men. Several Nazi divisions
were routed, and for the first
time, correspondents say, the
Germans were forced to at-
tempt a Dunkirk.
Having lost the link with the
north with the cutting of the
Stalino-Taganrog railway by
the Russians, the only remain-
ing escape route was the road
along the marshy country,
which, although used to capa-
city, was unable to cope with
a mass evacuation. Hence the
attempt at evacuation by water
across the Sea of Azov.
Besides the heavy losses in
men, a vast amount of war
material of all kinds fell into
Soviet hands. This booty in-
cludes 95 tanks, 600 guns and
mortars, 200 aircraft and 3,600
vehicles. The equipment de-
stroyed on the battlefield in-
cluded 500.tanks, and hundreds
of guns, mortars, aircraft and
vehicles. This is by far the cost-
liest German defeat since Stal-
ingrad.
There is not much news of
the Kharkov sector, except that
strong German counter-attacks
west and south-west of t’ne
city have been beaten back,
but further north, south of
Briansk, the Red Army’s offen-
sive has liberated some 60 place
during the last 24 hours.
Moscow late to-night an-
nounced the recapture by Rus-
(Continued on page 4.)