BIG ONSLAUGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 217, 12 September 1940, Page 7

BIG ONSLAUGHT.

BARGES BOMBARDED. Heavy Destruction Of Craft la Calais Harbour. British Official Wirrieaa. Reed. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept- 1L The great onslaught which the loyal Air Force has been making igainst the German war machine was 'ontinued on Tuesday night with •elentless precision and energy. Some »f the heaviest attacks were made igainst baige concentrations, ship>ing and docks in the French Channel jorts. Calais dock bore the brunt of the attack. Barnes and harbour stores and ■ n equipment store wore bombed. Salvos and sticks of bombs were <lroji[«ed over L'arnot basin and were observed to burst union; many barges which were packed together. A large part of the dock area was left in flames. One (ire alone enveloped at least 200 yards of the waterfront. Guns were silenced and searchlights extinguished around the harbour. One pilot spent an hour owr his objective, dodging shells and weaving his way in and out of the clouds. Biding his time, the bomb aimer let go his bombs, and sticks were laid accurately across the docks. A clear gap in the clouds enabled another crew to drop bombs right along the barges massed along the C'arnot basin. As high explosive l«ombs were poured into the packed vessels which lined the whole side of the basin and extended three-quarters of the way across it. chunks of debris were flung into the air. Fires again broke out and explosions were going on as the aircraft left. The observer of one l«omber saw a large merchant ship about a mile north of th« channel leading to the docks suddenly burst into flames and burn fiercely. The attack on Calais lasted for three hours. Ostcnd harbour was bombed from 9 p.m. on Tuesday until nearly 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Repeatedly sticks of heavy bombs straddled the barges lying in lb* port. Ships were directly hit by a strong section of the raiders which attacked the harbour just before miduight and between 3 a.m. and 4 a-m. Heavy explosions in the dock area followed attacks by another section «' bombers. Enemy ships in the Boulogne harbour were also bombed. Other squadrons flew further nortli In a raid on Flushing many bombs wor. seen to fall on the docks, merchant ves sels and E-boats. Dieppe was also attacked. After a lx>znli explosion two of six E-lioats van ished. They are believed to have been sunk. Meanwhile the enemy gun emplacements at tap Gris Xez were attacked again. ARMY CASUALTIES. (Reed. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON", Sept. 11. The War Office's 41st casualty lift names 18 officers and 397 other rank-, including five officers and 116 oilier ranks killed, and nine officers and 21s other ranks wounded.