Evening star., 1942-04-17
R. A. F. Planes Sweep
Northern France;
Nazis Hill Back
Wuves of r. A. r. Loosed
BY Clearing Weather;
Foe Claims II Ships
Nv the Associated Press.

&F AnN AN@uSik&6 ffeeA.
LONDON, April l7.-Clearing
weather unleashed wave on wave
Of r. A. r. planes today for their
virtually ceaSeless offensive
against the German dominated
continent, and Nazi bombers
struck back savagely at a south
coast town which they said was
Southampton.
A great force swept Northern
France and returned across the
strait. preceded by the angry sound
of German anti-aircraft barrages
on the occupied mainland coast.
Bpitfires blanketed a great area as
they continued the shuttles of de-
struotion across the waters at 20 900
feet. The first wave was followed
inland over France by a second
force.
The German high command said
III British planes were destroyed
over the Channel and English south
coast yesterday in violent combats.
The Germans said supply installa-
tions were attacked with good re-
suits" at Southampton with high
explosive and incendiary bombs.
West Country Town Bombed.
Early this morning enemy planes
dropped bombs also at a west coun-
try town and roared away before
ground guns could come into action.
Two waves OF r. A. r. raiders were
followed In the afternoon by
strong mixed force OF bombers and
fighters who headed southeast over
the sea from Deal. Scores OF air.
craft were visible to watchers who
soon heard German anti-aircraft
fire greeting the invaders.
The night attack kept alive
virtual nonstop aerial assault
which had been going ON for more
than 10 hours when the day raiders
hammered Northern France this
morning.
The Nazi submarine base at
Lortent and the docks at lie Havre
we're the targets Of the night bomb
err. and enemy airfields In Holland
and Northern France OF the night
fighters, the Air Ministry said.
Two bombers were lost, It said,
but the Germans also lost q bomber
which was intercepted in the at
tack on one OF their airfields.
The numbers In the morning raids
indicated that the sweeps were as
large as yesterdays assault by more
than 400 British planes and the
done of high-tlying squadrons in
cluded the deep roar OF heavy
bonbers.
Blasts Heard Across Channel.
Although the planes swept out too
high TO be identified, they could be
heard passing overhead for almost
Is minutes and then. very soon, ex-
plceions began rolling back from
across the Channel. Some of the
reverberations were strong enough
to rattle doors and windows on this
side.
Within 10 minutes after the main
force had crossed 10 the French side
in the direction OF Boulogne, some
of the R. A. ". fighters were roar
ing back at less than 1000 feet.
n British report that suddenly
changing weather halted r.. A. r.
attacks on Germany last night In
dicated the night operations were
on O smaller scale than the recent
heavy air thrusts. The weather
over the Dover Strait today was fine
with visibility of more than three
miles.
100000 Naxis Defending.
More than 100000 German SOL
diers and civilians are fully en-
gagged in defense against the British
air offensive conducted by the
bomber and fighter commands" the
Air Ministry news service said.
I'm effect" the news service said,
"ths bomber and fighter commands
are compelling the enemy to main
tain a long and purely defensive
western front.
At least 100000 Germans were
kept busy in passive defense-as
wardens, fire watchers, demolition
and bomb disposal squads and am
bulsnce and hospital stats. 1t was
estimated. Another 10000, vir-
tuslly all regular soldiers or airmen,
were said to be engaged in the
Immense German active defense
system.
A searchlight belt zoo miles long
and 40 miles deep in places, with
batteries of 10 to 40 searchlignts
every S miles, was said to be
stretched across Northwestern Ger
many. In addition, every large Ger
man city has its own searchlights.
6eo.00o Busy In West.
"Ant-aircraft guns are in their
thousands" the news service added.
Between them the guns and
searchlights keep upward of 100000
troops busy in the west. AT least
20 900 men are needed for the OBJ
server corps. $4,000 for AFRAID COM
munications, 10000 OF the most
skilled for night fighter SquadronS
and $4,000 for headquarters and ad-
mtnistrative stats"
Besides this diversion OF German
strength, the news service said
r. A. r. fighter sweeps over North
VAH n ~