RAIDS ON INVASION BASES

Evening Star, Issue 23683, 17 September 1940, Page 7

RAIDS ON INVASION BASES

ENEMY SUPPLY SHIP SUNK RELAYS OF BOMBERS ATTACK PORTS (British OtliL'ia) Wireless.) RUGBY, September 16. (Received September 17, at 10.10 a.m.) A German supply ship was sunk while at anchor at Ijmuiden last night by aircraft of the Coastal Command. It is stated officially to have been of 5,000 tons. Other aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked German convoys and again struck heavily at shipping concentrations on the Channel coast. The first convoy was attacked off the Dutch coast by a Hudson aircraft. The pilot dived on the nearest large ship and sank it with his bombs. Then he machine-gunned an armed trawler. He followed this by thoroughly machinegunning an E-hoat which was escorting the convoy. After that the pilot resumed his patrol. The second German convoy was stationary off the Dutch coast when it was attacked by another patrolling Hudson at dawn to-day. The pilot dived on one of the ships in the semi-darkness and let go three bombs. One at least struck home, for as the Hudson pulled out of its dive it was peppered with splinters from the ship, which is believed to have been sunk. Last night’s attacks on concentrations of German vessels in the Channel ports were made by waves of Blenheims. Two ships were damaged when the Blenheims attacked a convoy off Sangatte, near Calais. The main attack, however, was reserved for Le Havre, where the pilots of the first wave of Blenheims saw four large ships moored alongside the deep-water quay. Repeated salvoes of bombs struck squarely on the quay. There were fires when the Blenheims flew away. The pilots in the second wave made, their attack in bright moonlight. Amid intense anti-aircraft fire the Blenheims dived over the harbour, and bombed systematically. Their bombs burst among the ships, and direct hits were seen on a fishtail pier, Jeannes Convert Quay, the Quai de New York, and tho deep-water quay. Damaged ships, shattered masonry and stone houses were the results of the bombings.

BERLIN BOMBED MILITARY OBJECTIVES ATTACKED WIDESPREAD OPERATIONS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 16. (Received September 17, at 10.50 a.m.) Last night the R.A.F. again bombed military objectives in Berlin, states an Air Ministry communique. It adds that further heavy attacks were made on concentrations of war supplies, barges, and shipping at the dockyards and ports of Hamburg, Wilhclmshaven, Antwerp, Flushing, Ostend, Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne. Other forces of R.A.F. bombers attacked the distribution centres of Hamm, Osnabruok, Soest, Prefeld. The goods yards at Hamburg and the railway junction at Rheine were also bombed. Direct hits were made on an enemy warship off Terschelling and an oil tanker and supply ship in the Elbe Estuary were severely damaged. From all these extensive success- - ful operations all our aircraft returned safely.