SHATTERING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1941, Page 5

SHATTERING BLOWS

STRUCK BY ROYAL AIR FORCE 20,000 Tons of Enemy Shipping Destroyed in Daylight Attacks FURTHER FIGHTING RAIDS ON NORTHERN FRANCE SELECTED TARGETS HEAVILY BOMBED AT NIGHT LONDON, .July lit. Twenty thousand tons of enemy shipping were destroyed in one of two big daylight raids by the R.A.F. today on Northern France. In a devastating attack on Cherbourg and Le Havre, shipping totalling over 20,000 tons was hit by bombs and it is considered that these vessels will be a total loss. Quays, dockside buildings and gun emplacements were also bombed. The raid was carried out by Blenheim bombers, escorted by fighters. Another force of heavy bombers attacked a chemical works and a railway siding near Bethune, in Northern France. Our escorting fighters had fierce engagements with enemy fighters, which were unable to prevent our bombers from hitting the targets assigned to them. Thirteen enemy fighters were destroyed in the various encounters and nine of our fighters and two bombers are missing, but the pilot of 'one fighter is safe. During the night a concentrated attack was made by the R.A.F. on Aachen, near the German-Belgian frontier. Much damage was done to industrial buildings there. Munster was raided for the fifth night in succession and other targets attacked last night included communications and industrial plants at Osnabruck, in Westphalia, and the docks at Ostend. Four of our bombers are missing from these operations. No report has been received today of any enemy air activity over Britain.