BATTLE FOR THE PORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1940, Page 5

BATTLE FOR THE PORTS

DESCRIBED BY MR EDEN Tens of Thousands of French Saved with British Troops ENEMY LOSSES OF MEN MUCH GREATER THAN THOSE OF ALLIES AIR FIGHTING CONTINUED ON GREAT SCALE Mr Anthony Eden, Secretary of War, in an Empire-wide broadcast, described the Battle for the Ports during the past two weeks. Germany, he said, had made strategic gains and .Britain had lost war equipment and material, but the bulk ot the British Expeditionary Force had been saved, while tens oi thousands of French troops had also been brought to England from Dunkirk. The spirit of the British Expeditionary Force had won throug’h and it had taken a toll of the enemy greatly in excess of that suffered itself. The operations of the British Expeditionary Force involved a march of 75 miles forward into Belgium, a fight at the end of the march, and a march of 75 miles back, fighting all the way, all in the space of ten days. Some troops marched 35 miles in 24 hours. More than four-fifths of the British Expeditionary Force, which the Germans claimed to have surrounded, had been embarked and saved. The Air Ministry states that on Saturday R.A.F. medium bombers continued operations in support of the rearguard action of the Allied forces in Flanders. Attacks were made on the enemy’s lines of communications, roads, bridges, transport columns and depots. During the night these operations were continued by heavy bombers. A formation of heavy bombers attacked military objectives in Germany. All these operations were carried out without loss. Three Hudson aircraft on Saturday afternoon attacked a formation of 40 enemy bombers. Three were shot down, two dived away out of control and two others were damaged. The Hudsons were undamaged and continued their patrol. Other Coastal Command aircraft attacked a wireless station, oil tanks and supply depots. Two failed to return. Three enemy dive-bombers on the ground at Ostend were set on fire. French forces operating with the R.A.F. accounted for three enemy bombers. On May 30 in the Narvik area nine enemy aircraft were shot down and others probably destroyed. Yesterday, at Dunkirk, fighters continued their offensive patrol. Thirtynfive enemy aircraft and probably a further six were destroyed. Eight British fighters are missing.