Evening star., 1944-04-23
1000 Allied Planes Blast Hamm
German Rail Center> and Other
Targets in Greatest Air Smash
City Keyin Moving
Nozi roops to
Combat Invasion
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, Sunday, April 23.-
Preinvasion fleets of nearly 1000
American and Allied bombers
and fighters smashed the Ger
man rail center of Hamm.
coastal Notifications in France,
and airflelds in Belgium and
France yesterday in history's
greatest aerial offensive, which
apparently still was under way
early today after a week in
which $4,000 tons of explosives
had been hurled onto Hitler's
continental ramparts.
A United States Air Force bulletin
issued early today said satisfactory
results" were achieved in the main
strike at Hanm by Nearly 1000
Flying Fortresses and Liebrators
escorted by Thunderbolt, Mustang
and Lightning fighters, but failed to
mention any aircraft losses.
Large formations of RAF heavy
bombers were heard outward bound
over both the southeast and east
coasts of England both last night
and early today. Dover Straits
residents heard explosions across
the Channel in France and saw
German searchlghts at Calais and
Boulogne.
Important Rail Center.
Axis continental radios faded off
the air late last night after warn
Ing the German homeland that
fresh Allied formations were roar
Ing into northwestern and western
Germany.
An American communique termed
Hamm zone of Germany's most i'm
portant rail traffic centers." Through
its huge freight yards Hitler must
pour his central reserves to combat
the long-awaited Allied invasion in
the west.
"The attack was carried out in
conditions of good visibility" said
the bulletin which also did not in
d1cate what degree of resistance
was offered by German fighters.
Presumably the lateness of the
Hamm attack prevented a tabula-
ton of Allied and Axis aircraft |
losses, although no official expla-
nation OF the omission was imme-
diately forthcoming.
Hamm is go miles northeast of |
Cologne which again |
was hit Friday night by Raj bomb
ers.
Belgian Rail Yards Hit.
approximately 1000 American
and British light bombers and
fighters dumped at least 1900 tons
on the French coast yesterday, max
ing total of $500 dropped there
in six days. The heaviest batter
ing of the mysterious emplacements
occurred Thursday when 5000 tons
crashed down there.
Late yesterday another l .000-p plane
punch, which included British Mos
quitos and American and Allied
f1ghter-bombers, was thrown against
the coast. Airfields and rail targets
in Northern France and Belgium
also were dive bombed, making a
total of 1000 Allied sorties, or indi-
vidual flights, during the day. 1t
was one Of the largest Channel
strikes ever mounted from Britain.
American Thunderbolt and Mus
tang fighter -bombers struck at the
rail yards of Malines, north of Brus-
sells, at Saint Ghislain in Southern
Belgium, hit airfields near Ghent,
Belgium, and at Lille, just south of
the Franco-Belgian border. No
German fighters were encountered
IN these attacks, but one plane
failed to return.
In week of combined action
by British-based and Italy-based
planes, the Allies have flown $4,000
flights against the Axis and dropped
29, 900 tons of explosives.
700-Mile Round Trip.
American Liberators in daylight
Friday attacked the Romanian
capital of Bucharest and the rail
junction of Turnu- Severin on the
Romanian-Yugoslav border in di-
rect support of the Red Army, and
Friday night Italy-based Raj Lib
orators and Wellingtons pounded
Italian ports, including Genoa and
Livorno.
Hamm, 40 miles east of Essen on
the main German trunk line to
Berlin, is one of the most important
functions on the enemys rail sys-
ter which is being battered relent-
lessly in campaign to disrupt Hit
ler's overland transport before Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhowers land forces
open the Western Front invasion.
The sprawling freight yards,
See RAIDS, Page A-5.J