The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-14
BRITISH BLAST
SIX ENEMY SHIPS
Continued from Page ID


some damage" to convoy off Hol-
land, but said five bomberS were
shot down. A few British planes
made nuisance raids" on northern
and western Germany during the
night, the broadcast said.
The record 48-hour assault
against Germany-during which an
average of more than 100 tons OF
bombs an hour were dropped on the
Reich-Was featured by blistering
Raj night assaults on Dusseldorf,
Munster and Bochum. The bomb
tonnage was nearly half that I'M
loaded by the Raj on Germany
during all of April.
The Air Ministry placed the total
tonnage of bombs unloaded on Dus-
seldorf and Munster Friday night at
something over 2,000-the heaviest
onslaught of the War-and it was
believed that only slightly smaller
bombload was concentrated on the
transport and war industry center
of Bochum Saturday night.
The big ur-englned flying fort
resses and liberators Of the 9th U. S.
air force were credited with dis
tributing a total of at least 1850
tons of bombs among four key
German U-boat centers, Wilhelm
shaver and Cuxhaven Friday and
Kiel and Bremen Sunday.
Raids by medium and fighter
bombers on targets in occupied
western countries probably would
bring the total tonnage OF bombs
dropped on Adolf Hitlers European
fortress during the 48-hour period
to more than $500, far greater than
that unloaded during any similar
period since the start of the war.
The record offensive cost the
Allies 101 heavy bombers, "a of them
American, but Allied commanders
said they did not consider the loss
excessive in the light of the dam
aging blows struck German indus
try at time when the Nazi army
and Navy were demanding more
and more weapons with which to
meet the threat OF an Allied in
vasion.
Germany's once-vaunted luftWaffe
sent few planes over Britain Sat-
urday night and last night, but lit
tie damage and only a few casualties
were reported. Alarms were sound
ed in London both nights, but only
two planes dared the defensive bar
rage Saturday and just single
plane last night. One person was
killed in London Saturday night,
but no casualties we're reported last
night.
The American raids on Kiel and
Bremen in daylight yesterday cost
26 Flying FortresSes, the largest loss
yet suffered by the 9th Air Force
in a single days operations. Most
of the bombers were shot down over
the German naval base at Kiel dur
ing the biggest air battle ever touch
ed off by an American raid.
Brig. Gen. Fred L. Anderson, Jr,
of Kingston, N. Y, commander
of the formation that attacked Kiel,
said the loss was more than offset
however, by the damage inflicted on
important submarine installations
at Kiel and the drawing-off of the
main fighter strength to enable the
other American formation to do a
Splendid job" at Bremen with lit
tie opposition.
Participating pilots said the Ger
mans mustered nearly every type of
plane in their arsenal ranging from
| night fighters to MeSserschmitt
HOS in futile effort to prevent the
bombing of their U-boat installa-
lions at Kiel.
An American communicate said
the fortresses destroyed many" of
the intercepting fighters and the
crews of six different fortresses
alone reported shooting down 20
enemy fighters with two of the
bombers accounting for five apiece.
Bremen, Germany's second port,
was given one of its most concen-
trated bombardments of the war
and huge explosions and fires were
reported. Though no fighter oppo-
sition was encountered, anti-aircraft
fire was so heavy that LIST Lieut.,
Dale L. Shaffer of Decatur, H., said
he could have walked on the fax
over the town."
Eighth Air Force Thunderbolt
fighters also participated in yester-
days widespread offensive, carry
ing out two sweeps over occupied
Europe. Three German Focke-W
fighters were shot down without loss
70 the Americans In thu trSt Svesn.