ZEEBRUGGE MOLE BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 7 June 1941, Page 9

ZEEBRUGGE MOLE BOMBED

SUCCESSFUL RAID IN DAYLIGHT DIRECT HITS SCORED BY R.A.F. (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 5. In Wednesday’s daylight attack on Zeebrugge by aircraft of the Bomber Command many bombs were seen to burst on the mole. A ship of 500 tons was blown clean out of the water by a direct hit.’ , The squadron leader leading the attack saw the wreck of a ship of about 3000 tons just after he made land north of the mole. The decks and masts were above the water. There was another wreck outside the harbour. He turned to drop his bombs on cranes and installations on the mole. The aircraft machine-gunned gun emplacements, and the squadron leader saw German soldiers running to swing the guns on to him. His gunners gave them a few rounds; and he saw some men drop off the jetty. He came so low that he is sure he must have carried away some telegraph wires. As he came away he saw clouds of smoke over Zeebrugge, and was certain the mole had been effectively damaged. ‘‘The Bomber Command yesterday continued its attacks on enemy shipping and coastal targets in enemy occupied territory,” states an Air Ministry communique. “One supply vessel of about 5000 tons off the east coast of Norway was repeatedly hit and set on fire. In an attack on Zeebrugge, direct hits were obtained on the mole and a cargo vessel alongside. Two of our machines are missing. “Other bombers, with fighters, attacked docks and shipping at Boulogne. “Our fighters also carried out patrols over the Channel and the Straits of Dover yesterday, when a number of enemy aircraft were encountered and one enemy bomber and three enemy fighters were destroyed and several others damaged. Two of our fighters are missing.” The Admiralty has announced that His Majesty’s' trawler Northern Sky shot down a Heinkel 111 this morning. The Northern Sky suffered neither casualties nor damage.”