SEEKING SHELTER

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21221, 18 September 1940, Page 7

SEEKING SHELTER

GERMAN SHIPPING BIG BRITISH RAIDS WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ' (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 18, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 17 From dawn today reconnaissance aircraft of the Coastal Command were combing the enemy coastline over the entire Channel area, states an Air Ministry bulletin. Searches on a large scale had been organised overnight to ascertain the sudden changes in the disposition of the German sea forces. These changes were imposed by the enemy after a day of harassing bombing action and in consequence of a strong westerly wind which swept the Channel throughout the night. It blew with gale force in exposed places. Most of the Channel was very rough, and, as expected, the enemy ships and small craft had scattered and scurried to seek shelter. Their new positions were quickly located today by the Coastal Command. These operations were supplementary to the routine anti-sub-marine and convoy escort patrols, on which 15,000 miles were flown in a few hours, notwithstanding the general bad weather. Coastal Command aircraft gave escort to many large convoys of merchant vessels and there was not a single enemy attempt at molestation by air or sea. Successful Daylight Raids Daylight raids on Calais, Ostend, Dunkirk and Veere were carried out yesterday afternoon by medium bombers of the Royal Air Force. At Veere, on the Dutch island of Walcheren, a concentration of barges in the canal lock was bombed from a low level. Harbour installations at Dunkirk and Ostend were attacked under cover of low clouds. At Calais a salvo of bombs was seen to burst on the quayside of the outer harbour. A convoy of twelve barges and three escort vessels was intercepted and bombed off Zeebrugge. An attack was also made on three self-propelled barges which were patrolling off Ostend harbour, which hove to and opened fire on sighting the Royal Air Force aircraft. Haamstede, in the Dutch island of Schouven, was raided early in the afternoon. Bombs were dropped on the aerodrome in high level attacks. German barge concentrations outside as well as inside the invasion ports were also harassed during a series of daylight raids yesterday. A considerable convoy of enemy shipping off Calais was attacked and a stick of bombs was dropped across the convoy from starboard to port. Another raider bombed barges tied up in two and threes inside the Zeebrugge harbour, and Zeebrugge itself was attacked, and it is believed that a bomb struck a light railway running along the mole.

BELGIAN GOVERNMENT

DISSOLVED AT VICHY MINISTERS IN LONDON TO CONTINUE ACTIVITIES (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 18, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 17 The Belgian Government, according to German sources, has been officially dissolved at Vichy. M. Vleeschauwer, Minister of the, Colonies, and M. Gutt, Minister of Finance, however, are now in London, thus ensuring the existence of the Belgian Government, with full powers. Belgian circles in London state that those Ministers who were unable to join M. Vleeschauwer and M. Gutt have transferred to them their duties and functions, and this arrangement will enable the Government to continue its activities to the full extent required by the interest and circumstances of the country.