DOVER SHELLED AGAIN

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23108, 26 August 1940, Page 7

DOVER SHELLED AGAIN

R.A.F. Replies With Heavy Attacks

BRITISH GUNS OPEN FIRE (UNITED TRESS ASSOCIATION —COPTRIOHT.) (Received August 25, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 24. Dover was again.. attacked last night by gunfire from the French coast. Slight damage to houses and a few casualties were caused. Gun emplacements at Haringzelles, on the French coast near Cape Gris Nez, were attacked on Friday night for the second night in succession by a force of medium bombers, which repeatedly bombed gun positions from heights ranging from 10,000 feet to 4000 feet. Attacks by the Royal Air Force on the German guns which shelled the Dover area on Thursday evening were supplemented by a few rounds from British long-range guns, the Official German News Agency admitting that shells fell in the Calais area. The Air Ministry said that gun emplacements on the French coast between Calais and Boulogne were heavily attacked by Royal Air Force bombers on Thursday night, after a convoy had been shelled in the Channel. The British aircraft encountered an intense anti-aircraft fire, but maintained the attack for-several hours. Cape Gris Nez, between Calais and Boulogne, was one of the objectives of the Royal Air Force bombers which almost immediately went up to counter the German bombardment of Dover. High-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped on battery positions.

As they approached the French coast, some of the Royal Air Force aircraft were met by intense anti-air-craft fire. One of them was singled out by German fighters, which tried to intercept it. The pilot shook them off and flew on to bomb the enemy batl cries.

The first of the bombers was over its objective soon after 9.30 p.m. Others took up the attack at intervals until at 3.35 on Friday morning, when further salvoes of heavy and incendidVy bombs were launched at the enemy guns. Battery positions near Audenburg and St. Inglevert, in the same area, were also bombed. Damage in Kent Twelve enemy shells fell in Kent, but the damage was not extensive, as most of the shells fell in roadways. The inhabitants }ook the shelling calmly and appeared determined to get used ro anything. A German shell is reported to have wrecked a church, passing through a stained glass window near the altar, and' exploding within the building. the shelling was proceeding, a parachute flare, which appeared over the French' coast, signalled the opening of the Royal Air Fbrun reply, which was pressed home with great vigour. The detonations were heard on the English coast, and from Calais to Boulogne a red glow in the sky and low down on the waterline indicated the effectiveness of the counterattack. The German shelling resulted in four people being sent to hospital. The latest assessment of the damage confirms that it was remarkably slighti Shrapnel badly damaged six small houses facing the churchyard of a church, in which a shell exploded. Most of the houses had previously been evacuated. A spokesman for the German Government stated: "The German longrange guns are beginning to ring down the curtain in the final scene of the English tragedy.” Convoy Reaches Port The ships of the convoy on which the Germans began the shelling have now arrived in port with more than 50,000 tons of food and other essential commodities. A member of th& crew of one of these ships said that the long-range guns gave them an anxious time, and when the shelling stopped they thought they would be allowed to proceed in peace. A little later, however, Messerschmitts swooped down out of the sky and dropped bombs all round the ships. The seaman said he fired 47 rounds from a Lewis gun at one of the raiders. The German pilot did not apparently like this, as he swung round and made off. Authoritative circles in London express the opinion that the German guns used in bombarding the convoy and later in firing- on The Dover area are of about 12-inch, calibre. The Nazis constructed emplacements on the- French coast between Calais and Boulogne immediately they were in occupation, and it is thought that Thursday’s display heralded the completion of these works. Informed quarters regard the usefulness of this artillery as still to be proved, and they point out that a long-range bombardment depends on observation for its success. At such a distance it is thought unlikely that a jombardment could, or would, dislodge troops from their emplacements, jut it is emphasised, both as regards Lliis aspect and as regards the convoys, lhat the problem is a new one ana .hat time will show whether or not :xtremely (long-range artillery has acquired a new usefulness. There is great satisfaction in the icwspapers that the retaliatory action jy the Royal Air Force against the Herman long-range batteries was so iwift and formidable, says a British Hfficial Wireless message. The "Manchester Guardian” says: ‘The German High Command does not yet seem to be quite certain what it wants to claim as a result of its outburst of long-range gunnery. On the other hand, the voice of various commentators in Berlin is at once more and more obliging and adventurous. When a British convoy is shelled but not hit, they explain that the guns vere firing merely for practice, and mother Nazi spokesman was announcng yesterday that the German lung■ange guns were beginning to ring lnwn the curtain in the final scene if the English tragedy. "If it takes as long to bring the curain down as it did to get it into posiion, there is a grim wait in store fur my German audience that is anxious o get home to peace and prosperity.” SOUTH AFRICA’S DEFENCES BIGGER WAR VOTE SOUGHT (Received August 25, 10.30 p.m.) CAPE TOWN. August 25. Opening the second war session of ’arliament, the Governor-General (Sir tndrew Duncan) mentioned that roops had been dispatched to the north or defence of the Union and protecion of its vital interests. It was necessary to seek Parliamentry sanction for a considerable increase n defence expenditure. General Hertzog gave notice of notion in which he deplored the Govrnment persisting with its war policy, nd criticised the manner in which the -olicy was carried out.