SHIP CONCENTRATIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1940, Page 7

SHIP CONCENTRATIONS

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

NAVAL AND AIR ACTIONS

Rec. 11 p.m. London, September 12. MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL'S reference in a broadcast, in which he warned the people of Britain that Germany was preparing an invasion, to shelling by the Royal Navy of ship concentrations from the other side of the Channel was expanded in an Admiralty communique which stated: — "Strong and repeated offensive actions are being taken by our light forces against German shipping movements, 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.

British coastal guns shelled German ships travelling close to the French coast in the late afternoon, but they put up a smoke screen. German guns replied by shelling the Dover area. After a bombing and shelling for several hours the Dover area was again shelled and bombed at dusk. There were some casuaities, including a few dead. The town water supply was damaged. From the south-east coast of Britain it could be seen last night that the Royal Air Force was again raiding Calais. Bomb explosions were heard and large fires were seen to break out. Earlier the Germans had made an attempt to bomb a convoy travelling up the Channel. The convoy was flying balloons and the raiders were unsuccessful, though about 50 bombs were dropped. The great onsiaugm which the R.A.F. has been making against the German war machine was continued on Tuesday night with relentless precislon 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 equipment stores were bombed. Salvos and sticks of bombs were dropped over the Carnot Basin and were observed to burst among many barges which were packed together, and a large part of the dock area was left in flames, one fire alone enveloping at least 200 yards of waterfront. Guns were silenced and searchligbts were 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 bombs and 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 high explosives poured into packed vessels which lined the whole side of the basin and extended three-quarfcers 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 shlp 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 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 port and ships were directly hit by strong sections of raiders which attacked the

harbour just before midnight and between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning. Heavy explosions in the dock area followed dock attacks by another section of bombers. Enemy ships in Boulogne Harbour were also bombed. Other squadrons flew further north to raid 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. It is believed they were sflnk. Meanwhile enemy giyi emplacements at Cap Gris Nez were attacked again.