Evening star., 1944-05-11


sand Allied planes dropped an
estimated 5,400 tons of ex-
plosives on German airports
and rail centers in Western
Europe today.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 11.-American
Liberator bombers continued the
systematic destruction of Hit
ler's western railroad system
today, bombing three yards in
France after Marauders and
Havocs had made new attacks
on airfleldS near Paris and
coastal installations.
The Liberator thrust under cover
of IAghtnings, Thunderbolts and
Mustangs marked the return of
BritiSh-based American heavy
bombers to the preinvasion often
sive after a one-day layoff.
German radio broadcasts said
other formations were over South
west Germany during the afternoon
and Londoners said the ground
shaking roar of bomber formations
Streaking for Europe in the 9th
straight day of the round clock
assaults was the loudest they ever
heard.
The daylight armadas followed up
la CT y1fn l,
pest by bombers striking from bases
in Italy and the RATS fifth con-
secutive nightly attack on occu-
pied territory.
Allied airmen flew at least 1,500
sorties in the opening stages of
today's activities.
Military Targets Hit.
The medium Marauders returned
in the afternoon to attack military
objectives on the Northern French
coast after their morning blow on
Beaumont LIE Roger airfield, 10
miles west of Paris. All the mediums
and their escorts returned from
that attack there and the raid on
Cormeilles En- Vexin, 20 miles
northwest of Paris.
At midafternoon a heavy assault
began on the mainland across the
English Channel, violent explosions
from the Calais area shook buildings
in Folkestone on the English side,
and heavy rumblings were as severe
as those heard Tuesday night when
the RAF hit French coastal areas III
their hardest night blow of the war
on those targets.
Both heavy and medium bombers
of the Mediterranean Allied Air
Force attacked Budapest-last raid
ed on May Ain last nights follow
up to American daylight blows
against an aircraft factory at Wiener
Neustadt, Austria, an airfield near
Vienna and the rail center of Knin
in Yugoslavia.
Twenty bombers and three
fighters were lost in the attacks on
the Austrian targets
Targets i'm France Bombed.
The Air Ministry announced that
Britain-bas Raj heavy bombers
in strength last night attacked rail-
way yards at Lens and Lille, France,
and at Gent and Courtrai, Belgium,
while other bomber formations
struck at military objectives on the
French invasion coast.
Speedy Mosquitoes carrying 4,000-
pound bombs also raided Ludwig
shafen, Germany. In other aerial
operations, the communique said,
British planes laid mines in enemy
waters.
From all Of the overnight opera
tionS, the Air Ministry announced, Is
RAF planes were reported missing.
More than $500 Allied planes from
both British and Italian bases
dropped approximately 4,5OO tons of
bombs yesterday on targets in Hit
lers Europe. The daylight assaults
on the Wiener Neustadt and Vienna
areas and on Knin by the American
bomberS were the heaviest batter
ings of the day as Liberators and
FortresSeS based in Britain stayed
at home. 1t was the first time in
II days that a full day has passed
without Britain based heavy bomb
ers hitting some part of Hitlers
domain
Rail Centers, Airfields Hit.
However, American and British
medium, light and fighter bomberS
gave the people of occupied territory
no surceaSe from the aerial on
slaught. The planes flying from
Britain spent the day methodicaIly
blasting at rail centers and airfields
IN France and Belgium.
In attacking the Wiener Neustadt
aircraft factory and the airfield
near Vienna, force Of between $50
and 500 Flying FortreSSes and Liber-
ators fought their way through ap-
proXimately 100 enemy fighters near
the target area.
EScorting fighters knocked down
II Of the Germans, it was officially
announced, while the bombers
bagged an additional number not
Immediately totaled. Many German
planes also were destroyed aground
on the Vienna airfield, it was an
nounced.
Allied headquarters at Naples said
that 33 planes in all were lost in
yesterdays day and night assaults
by Italy-based planes. One Raj
Wellington was lost in the night at
tack on Budapest. The Berlin radio
claimed 81 Allied planes were de-
stroyed, Al of them heavy bombers.
in the AREA of the Eastern Alps in
cludlng Wiener Neustadt."
Concentrate on One Target,
Last night marked the second
straight night that the RAF sent
heavy bombers against mysterious
emplacementS in France that the
Germans have thrown up to at
tempt to block Allied invasion land
forces.
The Air Ministry said the big
night-fying bombers concentrated
on one coastal objective this time,
whereas on the previous night seven
(see RAIDS, Page Alb