SHELLING BY ROYAL NAVY

Evening Star, Issue 23679, 12 September 1940, Page 10

SHELLING BY ROYAL NAVY

STRONG ACTION AGAINST ENEMY SHIPPING OPERATIONS INFLICT LOSSES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1.15 p.m.) Mr Churchill’s reference in his broadcast to shelling by the Royal Navy of ship concentrations from the other side of the Channel was expanded in an Admiralty communique on Wednesday night, which stated: ‘ ‘ Strong repeated offensive actions are being taken by onr light forces against German shipping movements in ports and concentrations of shipping. These operations have inflicted losses upon the enemy as well as damage to port facilities, which would be vital to him in the event of an attempt to invade England. Further details cannot be given without disclosing information which would be useful to the enemy.”

ATTACKS FROM THE AIR

MASSED BARGES BOMBED AT CALAIS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1.25 p.m.) The great onslaught which the R.A.F. has been making against the German war machine was continued on Tuesday night with relentless precision and energy. Some of the heaviest attacks were made against barge concentrations, shipping, and docks in French Channel ports. The Calais dock bore the brunt of the attack. Barges and harbour stores and an equipment store were bombed. Salvos and sticks of bombs were dropped over the Carnot basin and were observed to burst among the many barges which were packed together, and a large part of the dock area was left in flames, one fire alone enveloping at least 200yds of the waterfront. Guns were silenced and searchlights extinguished around the harbour. One pilot spent an hour over 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 the sticks were laid accurately across the docks. A clear gap in the clouds enabled another crew to drop bombs right along barges massed along the Carnot basin. As the high explosives poured into the packed vessels which lined the whole aide 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 bomber saw a large merchant ship about a mile north of the Channel leading to the docks suddenly burst into flames and burn fiercely. The attack on Calais lasted three hours. OSTEND SUFFERS. Ostend Harbour was bombed from 9 p.m. on Tuesday until nearly 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Repeatedly sticks of heavy bombs straddled barges lying in the port. Ships were directly hit by a strong section of raiders which attacked the harbour just before midnight and between 3 and 4 in the morning. Heavy explosions in the dock area were followed by attacks by another section of bombers. Enemy ships in Boulogne Harbour were also bombed. Other squadrons flew further north and raided Flushing. Many bombs were seen to fall on docks, merchant vessels, and E-boats. Dieppe was also attacked. After bomb explosions two of six E-boats vanished and are believed to have been sunk. Meanwhile enemy gun emplacements at Cap Gris Nez were attacked again.

"NO LONGER KING”

NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES HAAKON RECENT APPOINTED LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1.47 p.m.) The Associated Press Oslo correspondent says Parliament decided that King Haakon was no longer King. The question of his return was postponed until the end of the war. The Government has resigned. Engolb Christensen, aged 68, is ruling as (Regent. PLANES FOR BRITAIN AMERICAN FACTORIES BUSY WASHINGTON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 8 a.m.) Mr Purvis, of the British Purchasing Commission, conferred with Mr Stimson, Secretary for War. Mr Purvis said the visit did not involve an appeal for planes. British sources say the American aircraft factories are turning out planes for Britain at a rate sufficient to replace one-quarter of the R.A.F. losses. British production is more than making up the remainder of the losses. Mr Knudsen announced that the defence schedule, including planes for Britain, called for a peak production of 3,000 planes monthly by July, 1942, and hy April, 1942, it was expected that a total of 33,000 planes wonld he completed, of which 14,000 would go to Britain and the remainder into the American service.