SUPPLY SHIP SUNK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 182, 16 May 1941, Page 5

SUPPLY SHIP SUNK.

IN ENEMY-ESCORTED CONVOY.

VICTIM OF R.A.F. PLANE.

(Rec. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 15.

An Air Ministry communique states: “An aircraft of jt-lio Coastal Command on .patrol off the coast of Holland yesterday afternoon torpedoed a 5000-ton enemy supply ship, which was one of an escorted convoy. Our aircraft returned safely. “The British aircraft was on an offensive' patrol, skimming along the enemy-occupied coast close to sea level, through a mist. The pilot suddenly sighted a convoy of seven German vessels and opened fire as the aircraft made its run-in just above the sea. The navigator machine-gunned the ship as the pilot released the torpedo, which was seen to run. Then the navigator hurried to the observation cabin in time to see a large column of smoke rising through where a ship had been.” —British Official "Wireless.

The Royal Air Force raid on Tuesday night on the German island of Heligoland was described by tho pilots who took part as the perfect theoretical attack_put into practice. One of the pilots said that after a two-hours’ flight tho aircraft came in at exactly the right spot and saw their targets as they had seen them on the photographs they had studied before the raid.

“It was a punch in the face for Heligoland,” said another of the pilots, “with our knuckle marks right across the island.”

The British, aircraft dropped sticks of high-fex-plosives, and columns ofsmoko, mixed with the dust and debris of shattered buildings, rose immediately and spread over’’’tho ground to obscure the cliffs.

During the attack, the front and roar gunners yfoured bullets into a street and naval barracks. A German flying-boat which • appeared above the British aircraft was also machinegunned.