Evening star., 1942-08-29
Raj Smashes
Again at Nazi
War Factories
Hundreds Of Planes
Attack Nuernbero
And Suurbruecken
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, Aug. 29.-Nuernberg,
a great war industries center and
the rally ground of Hitler's Nazi
party, and the Saar steel center
of Saarbruecken were attacked
heavily by strong force of Brit
ish bombers which left large
fires burning in both cities last
night.
The heaviest assault was on
Nuremberg, the Air Ministry said
Thirty bombers were lost from the
large force" of perhaps several
hundred, many of which packed
eight tons of explosives each.
Objectives in Northern France
were raided by the smaller and
sWlfter fighters during the night.
The heavy bombers used the
"saturation" technique of attack by
which great numbers Of bombers
crowd into the air space over their
targets.
Moonlight Aids Defenders.
The extent of British losses was
ascribed by British observers to the
brilliant moonlight and cloudless
skies. highly favorable to anti-air-
craft and night fighter defense.
While the strength of the raiders
was not officially disclosed, it was
understood to have run we'll into
three figures but not to have been
near 1000 bomber proportions.
The Raj bombers flew nearly 500
miles to reach Nuremberg, deep in
Southern Germany, once peaceful
old city and now center of Nazi
war production. Saarbruecken. on
the French border and only about
35 miles from Metz, is a rich coal
and iron-producing center.
An Air Ministry communique said
80 bombers failed to return from the
mission. On the basis of average
5 per cent losses on similar large
scale raids in the past, this would
put the number of participating
planes at 600.
Location Of Tank Factory.
The assault was the third this
week against German industrial
centers, On Thursday night force
of approximately the same strength
smashed at the former Polish port
Of Gdynia, only few miles west of
Danzig on the Baltic Sea. and at
Kassel, locomotive-b building CEN
ter. Monday night Wiesbaden and
Frankfurt were the targets.
Nuremberg Is the home of the
Nan tank factory and has a large
aluminium works manufacturing en-
gine parts. The Siemen- Schubert
factory there makes heavy electrical
equipment.
The quaint old German city is
also an important railway center
and has large repair shops for loco
motives and rolling stock.
1t Is on the Ludwig Canal, con-
Meeting the Main and Danube
River.
In striking at Nuremberg. the
Raj was attacking one of the best
known German garrison towns. In
recent years, 1t had acquired con-
siderable notice as the parade
ground and sounding board for the
annual Nazi Party conventions, but
these have been suspended for the
duration of the war.
Weather Ideal for Raid.
Saarbruecken, in the rich Saar
Valley, Is in the center of some 10
square miles Of coal mines. 1t has
gigantic iron works and steel mills.
Royal Canadian Air Force flyers
on the raid said conditions were so
nearly perfect last night that every
detail OF the streets and buildings
OF Saarbruecken stood out in relief.
I'VE took three runs over the
target before dropping the stuff and
just couldn't miss" one pilot said.
Another pilot said "it was a mar
velous trip as far as flying and
bombing conditions were concerned.
The place was afire in a number of
spots when we arrived and there was
no mistaking the target"
In addition to the massive RAF
assaults, the Germans have suffered
under daylight precision raids in
occupied territories by Flvinp
Fortresses of the United States Air
Forces.
Yesterday the Fortresses raided
Meaulte, an important airplane
center In Northern France, and the
day before the high flying American
bombers spread destruction among
the docks of the German occupied
Dutch port of Rotterdam.
Germans Strike Back.
Apparently reused by this round
the-clock schedule, the Germans
struck back last night, dropping ex-
plosive and incendiary bombs in
Northeast and Eastern England,
mostly in coastal areas.
Eight persons were killed in one
town in Northeastern England when
bomb destroyed four homes.
Workers dug in the debris through
out the night and rescued a baby
boy alive. He was the only survivor.
Bombs were dropped during day
light today on West England town.
The Berlin radios first report on
last nights Raj raid said only that
damage had been caused in several
towns in Southern and Southwestern
Germany. The Germans estimated
the attacking force at from 230 to
$50 planes and said SO planes had
been shot down.