The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-19


and many others destroyed on NE
grounds.
The destruction Of II other enemy
planes IN other operations bOosAed
The dAy'a total bag 10 % planes, OK.
cludlng an undetermined number
wrecked on tho grouond IN wide.
spread raids on enemy aiFtields
Only II Allied planes were lost N
ell operations,
strong formations OF American
Flying Fortressoa started large iirel
IN heavy attacks on the railroad
marahalllng yards and alrlield al
Palermo, sicily, Numerous hits were
scored on hangars and other build.
fhga and bombs were seen 10 burst
among enemy fighters which yusl
had landed after an attack on Q
preceding formation Of Fortresses.
one merchant vessel was SUM
and another was left In flames b
Mitchell bombcfs which attacked
harbor installations at Porto Torres
Sardinia, Other targets IN tho doeh
area also were hit and many ilroI
we're started nc q nearby alrdFOme
where bombs fell among parked air.
craft,
tDrltlAh.based bombars made Q
heavy and concentrated attack Last
night Oh SpeEIR on the Gulf oil
Genoa, ltAlya biggest naval bast
since earlier raids Knocked oul
0enoa).
The only ground activity reported
IN the communicate was q "SucceBs.
ful local advance by French forces
on the First Army front some %
miles west OF TAlns, Additional
prisoners were captured by thC
French, the communicate said.
Latest reports from the front said
the main body Of Lieut.. Gen. Ken
meth A, N Andersons First Army
was locked IN q see.saw fight with
the Germans for hills behind Djebel
III Ahmera tlong stop hilD, six miles
north Of NEEDLES III Bah and about
20 miles from Ttinis.
On the British Eighth Army front
patrol activity continued along the
Enfidavllle line some 30 miles south
Of Tunls, the communicate said.
But the growing Allied successes
IN the cir far overshadowed ground
activity, Allied alrmen now had shot
down ll6 enemy planes In two days,
Saturdays bag was 30 aircraft.
Besides the n transports and
fighters destroyed In the single enc
gagement over the Blcilian straits
yesterday, fighters OF the tactical air
force shot down Ave planes In sweeps
and patrols over forward areas.
Coastal fighters on patrol accounts
cd for another enemy plane. The
final flve were shot down out Of
enemy formation that attempted 10
raid Alglers last night.
Allied night raiders Saturday at.
tackled enemy airnelds In Tlinlsia
and q railway yard In TNinis and
motor transport In Sardinia, de.
Btroying one enemy plane.
No Children Killed
During q German raid on AlgierA
Saturday night, bombs hit an Or
phanage and killed 10 nuns. No
children were killed. Gen. Henri
Honore diraud, French commander
for North Africa, visited the orphan.
age Sunday morning and knelt be-
fore the caskets Of tho victims.
The text OF the oommunique:
ION tho night Of April l7.i8,
French forces made q successful To-
cRi advance on tho First Army front
and captured further prisoners.
ION the Eighth Army front, patrol
activity continued along the Emf.
daville line.
Yesterday fighters Of the tactical
cir force carried out numerous
sweeps and patrols over the forward
areas, during the course Of which
they destroyed i've enemy aircraft.
Poo Warhawks and spitfires on pa
troll on the coast Of Tunisla encoun.
tered q very large formation Of
JunkeTs 80 transport aircraft,
strongly escored by fighters. IN the
combat which followed, 30 Junkers
62s and 10 Of their escorting fighters
were destroyed.
Coastal fighters on patrol yester.
day destroyed one enemy aircraft.
AiFfleld Bombed
Strong formations Of Fortressea
OF the strategic air force made heavy
attacks on the marshalling yards
and airiield ct Palermo. Many
bursts were seen In the marshallinR
yards and at the aiTfield, numerous
hits were scored on hangers and
other buildings. Bombs were seen
10 burst among enemy fighters that
had landed from on attack on the
preceding formation Of Fortresses
Large fires were left burning at both
targets.
Attacks were made by B-25
Mitchells on an airfield In Sardinia
and on shipping and harbor iflstalla-
lions ut Porto Torres. Two merchant
vessels received direct hits, one be-
ing left IN flames and the other
sinking: several targets in the dock
area were also hit. At the airdrome
bombs fell among parked aircraft
and many fires were started.
VIA WaV SnBHt Va APIA At~Ao HlSul~
UNI and light bombers attacked en-
envy airfields In Ttinisla and @ rail-
way yard In Tunis. Intruder Air
craft OF the coastal air force at
tackled motor transport and an air
field In Sardinia and destroyed one
enemy aircraft.
Prom these operations II aircraft
are missing.
Last night enemy bombers at
tempted 10 attack Algiers. Five Of
them were destroyed and only q
very small number penetrated the
defenses. The few bombs dropped
caused damage TO civilian property
and some Casualties"
OAx A1HAAHN AMHA