SHIPS ATTACKED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 114, 16 May 1941, Page 9

SHIPS ATTACKED

NAZI SUPPLIES Coasts Of Europe Scoured By British Planes British Official Wireless. Rec. 2 p.m. RUGBY, May 15. The Air Ministry reports a highly successful bombing attacks on an enemy convoy. This afternoon the Bomber Command attacked an escorted enemy convoy off the Frisian Islands. Three supply ships, of about 5000, 4000 and 2000 tons respectively, were bombed and left burning. Shortly afterwards enemy fighters attacked our bombers. One enemy fighter was shot down and one of our aircraft is missing.

The Fighter Command to-day made several offensive sweeps over the Channel and Northern France, in the course of which several enemy aircraft were machine-gunned on the ground and one was shot down. Ships were machine-gunned from a low level and one set on fire. None of our fighters is missing."

An Air Ministry communique states that aircraft of the Coastal Command on patrol off the Dutch coast yesterday afternoon torpedoed a 5000 tons enemy supply ship, which was one of an escorted convoy. Our aircraft returned safely.

A British plane was oh an offensive patrol skimming along the enemy-occupied coast close to sea level when, through the mist, the pilot suddenly sighted a convoy of seven German vessels. The ships opened fire as the aircraft made its runs in, just above the sea.

The navigator machine-gunned a ship as the pilot released a torpedo, which was seen to run true. Then the navigator hurried to the observation cabin in time to see a large column of smoke rising from the place where the ship had been.

The four docks at Brest have been attacked on 47 occasions, on 24 of which the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were the objectives, the Air UnUder-Secretary, Captain H. Balfour, stated in the House of Commons.

Two enemy aircraft have been shot down by British fighters to-day, and it is known that one enemy aircraft was destroyed off the coast last night.