RELENTLESS HUNT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1941, Page 6

RELENTLESS HUNT

AFTER ENEMY COASTAL SHIPPING BRITISH AIR OPERATIONS IN DAYLIGHT. MANY EFFECTIVE ATTACKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY. April 30. In daylight yesterday, the Bomber Command, with fighter escort, searched the French and Belgian coasts for enemy shipping. They found a convoy near Ostend and a ship of 2,000 tons was set on fire. Another ship was claimed as damaged. Ships were also machinegunned and the guns of the largest ship are believed to have been disabled, as they ceased fire before the attack was over.

Several Messerschmitts 109 came in to drive off our aircraft, and during a general engagement at least one was damaged by one of our bombers. Near the Isle of Barnouic, south-west of the Channel Islands, and a few miles from the coast of France, a supply ship of 1.000 tons was successfully attacked by other aircraft from a very low level.

Off the coast of Norway attacks were, made on escorted supply ships. Diving'-' to under two hundred feet, two aircraft dropped bombs on the largest ship, which was of between 4.000 and 5.000 tons, and immediately after the bombs had exploded the ship was well alight. She made a quick turn towards the land and it is believed that she was severely damaged, perhaps beyond

repair. In the course of yesterday’s daylight operations, attacks were made on. other ships off the Norwegian coast. An Air Ministry communique states that from these daylight operations two R.A.F. bombers and one fighter are missing.