INVASION PORTS ATTACKED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23263, 25 February 1941, Page 9

INVASION PORTS ATTACKED

Raids On Calais And

Boulogne

SLIGHT ACTIVITY OVER BRITAIN (WHITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received February 24, 11 p.m.) LONDON, February 24. Royal Air Force activity last night was confined by bad weather to raids on Calais and Boulogne. The raids were carried out by a medium, force of bombers and are believed to have been successful. The attack on Boulogne was the seventy-fourth, and on Calais the sixty-first. Enemy air activity over Britain last night was not heavy, and soon ceased. Bombs fell in a town on the northeast coast, at scattered points along the east coast, and in the London area. A communique issued by the Air Ministry says that little damage and few casualties were caused.

Taking advantage of the spring-like weather, unusually strong forces of German fighter-bombers appeared over the Straits of Dover yesterday afternoon. Spitfires and anti-aircraft batteries along the channel went into action, and a number of the enemy turned back before reaching the English coast.

There are no reports of bombs having been dropped over Britain. An Air Ministry communique states that there was little air activity on Saturday night. Bombs were dropped at several places in eastern England. Some damage was caused and a small number were killed. Enemy aeroplanes dropped bombs on a coastal town in the north-east of Scotland, causing little damage and no casualties.

It is reported that the raiders, which appeared over this town shortly after dusk, adopted the usual method of first dropping incendiary bombs, but these were quickly extinguished by fire-watchers and the fire services before any damage was done. Bombs which fell near a housing estate caused only slight damage to three houses and injured some of the occupants. Nobody was killed. Other high explosive bombs fell in open spaces and did no damage. During the heavy barrage against the raiders, a loud explosion was heard, and £ “ball of fire” was seen in the sky. It is believed that an enemy aeroplane was brought down. A German communique states that bombers on Saturday night successfully attacked the harbour and military objectives at Hull. An Air Ministry communique, dealing with Royal Air Force activities, states; “On Saturday night a small force of Royal Air Force bombers attacked the enemy naval base of Brest. None of our aircraft is missing from this operation. One aircraft of the Coastal Command is missing from a patrol during daylight on Saturday.” Fresh news of the damage done by the Royal Air Force in its raids on Berlin is given by an American newspaper correspondent who has returned to New York. He speaks of some of the damage done to a large electrical plant, a chemical plant, the tramway power system, and the railways. HOW CANADA CAN HELP CONTRIBUTION TO WAR EFFORT LORD BEAVERBROOK’S BROADCAST (BRITISH OmCIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, February 23. The contribution which Canada could make to the Imperial waV effort during the coming months of trial was outlined by the Minister for Aircraft Production (Lord Beaverbrook), in a broadcast to Canada. He began by summarising what Britain had so far- achieved. “When the Churchill Government came to power,” he said, “the people of Britain feared the effects of air raids. Now they defy them. Then they threw up temporary and trivial defences against invasion. Now they look out from long and powerful battlements, fortified with steel and cement. Then they lost all the equipment of their army in the disaster of the French battle. Now they have a great store of arms of every description. Then they had no military success on land to sustain the spirit of the nation. Now they can rejoice in a brilliant series of victories.” Dealing with the part Canada could play, Lord Beaverbrook emphasised Britain’s danger in her north-western approaches. “There is no doubt the enemy intends to attack us in our ocean pathways. We shaß be subjected to constant raids on our shipping. There will be ceaseless attacks under and over the seas. The battle will be long and bloody. The toll of tonnage will be heavy, too, and it is here that Canada can bring relief to the beleaguered citadel. “You look to a route directly from the rivers and harbours of Canada through northern passages. You look down that pathway to the harbours of Britain. You can make good northwest approaches. That can be your charge. Help, then, to supply cargoes. Help to send food and weapons of war. Help to furnish crews and devote your labours to providing the armour of battle. Gather together every kind of transport by sea which will enable us to continue the defence of this island. Seek the whole world over for ships to make our seapaths safe during the battle for Britain.” POLL ON U.S. AID BILL . MAJORITY OF SENATORS IN FAVOUR (Received February 24, 9.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, February 23. According to a poll conducted by the Washington correspondent of the Associated Press of America. 52 United States Senators declared themselves in favour of the Aid to Britain Bill, 20 against it, and 21 declined to give an opinion. The 52 supporters of the Bill comprised 46 Democrats, five Republicans, and one Independent. Of those who would not commit themselves, 11 were Democrats and 10 Republicans. Eight Democrats opposed the bill, with 11 Republicans and one Independent. It is reported from Washington that the Aid to Britain Bill is expected to pass the Senate at the end of this week. The leaders of the Administration are reported to be in

favour of putting the bill into operation immediately it has passed its final stages. The Vice-President of the United Slates »Mr H. A. Wallace), in a speech, declared: “Those who believe that the United States can live peacefully and well in a world of triumphant Nazism simply do not know what they arc talking about. In such a world we would have the choice of being slaves, fighting, or going despotic ourselves.’*