TARGETS IN DIEPPE

Evening Star, Issue 24280, 22 August 1942, Page 5

TARGETS IN DIEPPE

HAMMERED BY NAVAL UNITS

SHIPS SAILED CLOSE ID SHORE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August' 20. The Navy’s part in tho Dieppe raid ivas vividly described by an observer who watched tho operations from the bridge of a destroyer. “ Hundreds of 4in shells,” lie says, “ were fired into targets in Dieppe and on cliffs and beaches during tho eight hours of the operations. This hammering was performed sometimes from within a mile of the shore by one British destroyer flotilla. The German claims of damage inflicted on the British naval forces are ridiculous. The raid proved that a large force of ships, given proper air cover, can be maintained within a few miles of an enemy coast in spite of the defences. “ Tho Channel crossing was uneventful, and there is no doubt that the enemy was surprised by the raid, especially by its strength. As the destroyers completed a wide search for enemy ships we heard and saw the first gunfire of the action. It was later dis-' covered that the first ‘ commando ’ flight had run into a small force of patrolling flair ships. Tracer bullets shot down through the darkness like fireworks. As we slipped slowly into position we could sec long low lines of tank-landing craft following up the smaller shapes of assault craft. Then came the spatter of machine guns from the shore. The Germans had seen the approach of the main force, but not until they were within half a mile of the shore. “As dawn broke our senior ship opened fire Her shells whistled over troops fighting on tho beaches, and it seemed she was nearly on the target with tho first salvo. Thou other destroyers went into action. Each had a particular target. Ours was a big tobacco factory which is now used for military purposes, and projectiles were thudding on ana around the targets from one end of the area to the other. The Casino seemed to be having a particularly heavy time. “ Eventually the enemy’s heavy guns began to reply, and tho bombarding ships moved quietly out. still firing and covering their temporary withdrawal by a smoko screen. Here French chasseur boats played a big part. The spectacle of these little ships attacking their own homeland for the sake of its freedom was one of the most moving of the whole day. “ Then came the order to the destroyers, ‘ Close in to tho shore,’ and back they went through smoke, with their guns blazing. I listened to a first lieutenant, a 23-year-old, giving spotting directions to. his officer of the quarter, an even younger sub-lieutenant of the R.N.V.R. Once I heard the first lieutenant say: ‘Albert, yours are falling short on the cliff face. It may be an idea to bring the enemy down with the cliff, but I think it is a rather longterm policy.’ Meanwhile the tank-land-ing craft had gone in and all landed their tanks.”

BATTERY KNOCKED OUT RESOLUTE COMMANDO MEN LONDON, August 20. A few hours before they lauded Lord Louis Mountbatten, Commander of Combined Operations, told one party of commandos: “Your task is most vital. If you do not knock out the howitzer battery the whole operation will go wrong. You must do it, even at the greatest possible risk.” “ The commandos did not fail,” says the ‘ Daily Mail’s ’ war correspondent. “ Our question, ‘ Will the Germans bo ready for us?’ was answered when Germans were sighted .on the top of a 100 ft cliff, at the bottom of ■which our assault craft grounded. A German machinegun stuttered out as wo blundered across the shingle to the foot of the cliff. Another commando unit landed a littlo further to the west, intending to take the battery from tho rear while we made a frontal attack. There were only two cracks in the cliffs. Barbed wire hopelessly blocked one, and the other ended in an almost vertical staircase for holiday bathers. A single machine gun could, have held it against an army. The commandos knew that the Germans would not believe that the raiders would bo fools enough to try such a suicidal approach, but the commandos were soon creeping up the cracks. Howitzers then began to fire at the fleet, which for the first time was perceived in •the increasing light. “ The commandos cheered the arrival of R.A.F. planes. They had been told that there would be two R.A.F. fighters for every three men' in the raiding force. A terrific.explosion marked the end of the howitzers’ ammunition dump and signalled au attack on the howitzers from the rear. The battery crew knew how to fight, and German snipers accounted lor a number of commandos when they were crossing open ground in front of the battery. The battery commander was sniping from his offios window when a commando kicked open, the door and sprayed him with tommy-gun bullets. Bayonets proved the most useful weapons. Tho commandos raced in and out of the battery huts, thrusting, stabbing, and firing. When the commandos left not a single gunner was left alive, and the guns themselves were destroyed.”

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES VICHY, August 21. It is officially stated that 25 oivilians wore killed and 85 injured at Dieppe. CANADA PRDUD PRICE PAID WORTH WHILE (British Official Wireless.) (Roc. noon.) RUGBY, Aug. 21. “ Canada can well be proud of the courage and skill shown by her men who took part in tho Dieppe raid.’’ General MeNaughton states in a message to Mr Mackenzie King expressing the appreciation of the Canadian troops of tho message of confidence from the Government and people of Canada. “ The raid marks, wo hope, the opening of a new phase in tho struggle against Nazi tyranny in Europe. We have had to pay a heavy price in casualties, but a powerful, resounding blow has been struck, and the results are clearly well worth while.”