RESOLUTE ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1941, Page 5

RESOLUTE ATTACKS

ON ENEMY SHIPS IN FRENCH ‘ PORTS R.A.F. DEFIES HEAVY GROUND FIRE. SUPPLY SHIPS DIRECTLY HIT. LONDON, July 18. The R.A.F. continues to strike hard at enemy shipping off the French coast, in spite of heavy anti-aircraft fire and unfavourable weather. A raid was made on shipping near Dunkirk this morning. Although the anti-aircraft guns were firing over open sights, a direct hit was scored on a 6000ton supply ship. Messerschmitts dived down out of a bank of clouds and attacked the British machines. One enemy plane was sent crashing into the sea. Others were damaged. Two British bombers and one fighter are missing. In a raid on the port of St Nazaire, a 4000-ton ship received a direct hit from a Beaufort plane, which dived down through a curtain of .anti-air-craft barrage to make the attack.

VAIN EFFORTS

BY GERMAN CAMOUFLAGE EXPERTS. ATTEMPTS TO MISLEAD R.A.F. RAIDERS. LONDON, July 18. . London newspapers are featuring photographs illustrating the efforts of German camouflage experts to mislead Royal Air Force raiders. Two lakes exist in the heart of Hamburg. The inner one, called the Binnenalster, is camouflaged by rafts representing a block of buildings with roads. The Germans have built a replica of Lombards Bridge, 600 yards northward of the original structure. This faked bridge' crosses 'the larger lake, the Aussenalster. The plan endeavoured to mislead R.A.F. raiders into thinking part of' the Aussenalster is the Binnenalster.

NIGHT OPERATIONS

INLAND & COASTAL TARGETS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.53 a.m.) RUGBY, July 18. An Air Ministry communique states: “Industrial areas at Cologne and elsewhere in the Rhineland were attacked last night. Fires were started and, though the weather made it difficult to observe results, many bombs were seen to hit their targets. “The Coastal Command attacked shipping at St. Nazaire and a ship of about 4,000 tons was seen to be hit. “During offensive patrols by the Fighter Command, attacks were made on enemy aerodromes in the occupied territory. “One aircraft of the Coastal Command is missing.”

DARING EFFORT

PILOT’S LOW-LEVEL ATTACK AT ST. NAZAIRE. SHIP BOMBED FROM HEIGHT OF MAST. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.7 a.m.) RUGBY, July 18. The Air Ministry’s News Service says it was a Beaufort aircraft which scored a hit on a vessel anchored in the roads at St. Nazaire. As he approached the target, the pilot saw several ships lying in the roads, protected by a fierce anti-aircraft barrage. He selected a 4,000-ton vessel and dived beneath a curtain of anti-aircraft fire to make his attack from mast high, turning sharply on to the ship from her port beam. The Beaufort’s crew saw one stick of bombs burst directly on the ship and another fell just short of her. As the aircraft flew away, the rear-gunner opened fire and shot out a searchlight.