AIR ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23350, 9 June 1941, Page 7

AIR ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS

83 Destroyed Since March 12 i R.A.F. DAYLIGHT liQ-V ) / RUGBY, June 7. Ve/ sinking of two enemy supply wol'ls announced in the following Air Sltry communique: daylight this morning aircraft of (Jfßomher Command sighted a cono/ enemy supply ships off the coast ifHolland. Two of the larger ships, 4'ch of about 5000 tons, were hit and e jT on fire. Both were probably deHnved None of-our aircraft is missfroin this operation." . A soeclal order of the day sent by .to Air Offi cer Commanding-in-chief of 5® Bomber Command (Air Marshal sir Charles Portal) to the air officer Somanding the bomber group enjSSj In the daylight offensive against Smy pipping and coastal targets, !gj%on March 12 the squadrons Sflir your command began their SSorous day offensive both against 'fiEr targets and the shipping of the Saw ftom Norway to the Mediteri “Suf* Since that day no fewer than SWmy ships have been destroyed, 18 damaged or disabled, while a 54 have sustained some dami Severe damage and casualties have jim been inflicted on the enemy in 1 Germany and the occupied ]terjri- : The success of these attacks lies i Tuie daring and resolution which have ; their making. In the absence , cover or fighter protection, the formidable defences of the enemy have I Ljn overborne by fine airmanship and I hith courage. I wish you to convey to I I those who have contributed to the I JLess of these operations, whether in I the North Sea, the Atlantic, or the I Mediterranean, my warm congratulaI 'lions on the magnitude of their I .(.Movement. To captains and crews in pSular,‘Well done!’" Enemy Supply Routes With spring and the coming of better weather. more ships were certain to bedn creeping along the coast, taking *jaT<» Germany from the invaded countries and war supplies from Gerniby to the bases from which she Britain. By this route, which idteves the overloaded railways between Germany and the west, oil would I mto the submarine bases on the coast Inf ftanc*. and produce seized from I conquered farm lands would return. S AW™ coasts of Denmark and Nor- | t#toere would be the same exchange of;|b6d» for.the sole benefit of Geraiiy, tollbe first day of this new offensive. Members set out without any escort ol ftihtexs to make a long sweep of the DuWCOiiSt There were wide patches where the clouds had the British aircraft had no mon thaQ occasional cover over the {forth Sea. There was not much ship* plrifto-be found, but a vessel of 1000 toiSfWas Successfully bombed. (Sweeps on the enemy’s seaboards wititotcover of cloud or darkness and ftfifiht fighter escort continued every defile weather allowed. The search forilhlppihg become a routine under* ttwwr ' jpij more than 1650 miles of coast i Mfrom Sogne fjord in Norway to from dawn to dark, the tjjMLhaa not known where or when Mjfail'Air Force would strike. The sMptessj of Q3 ships and . the severe |H|toYB others is only part of the ■JHpf these attacks have levied on iMHuiis. The , strain von the remains, andT he has IHHake new efforts to protect his 9Hmn Counter-measures' iMfeSmisns have bad to divert aircraft ahd anti-aircraft ■MMttempt to counter this dayaeoHmufe. They have been forced Standing patrols of fighters well have wished imliP'Pny wpplyship there are WiMsmtal guns, particularly light .HP eiiij?, to ; guard , against attack. Anti-aircraft WlPmpwy the smallest convoys Mlifeoyirs and fighters watch, over importance; Though wKimmldable defences have taken WpwbSritieb bombers, such losses iMver deterred the crews from Wwma home their attacks, They platen .hit, back at the defences “Spives. They have bombed anti* Mpahlpsand destroyers, and,they inhCtn attacks ,by fighters and of them down, offensive has been Mip# only against shipolng but iPlpi.land targets near the coast. such targets success* WpMod includes j»orts. submaaerodromes, power g^Kmetodes.' warehouses, sra* ■WMimps. oil tanks, railway trains. lock gates, docks, wireless stations, and works. Particularly SBWWt-been made onJteUcoland, jMreiwtami. and Deri Helder. MBwMcOl. aircraft have swept over often at heights of less level Bombing lißlb, daylight attack has a 'very low level--IMMpifweclal bombs have bad lHg*wSteh explode a few secwhen the airoraft WMsmmi blast range. It is a aMKwfiek' which demands both Hlßiaring from the crews; MMimt lt typical of Hie spirit mSSmmttt attacks am .made. -A wounded ourlngjMJ WSmMbowet station, - He. handed ■!!aWgWs over .to his observer, who BMPe aircraft as far as Its base. 'mttmme observer could not make Siiwfrtfae dying pilot, propped up JMHfetook over the controls again IMpsyanded the aircraft, iMflilffilian-manned Sunderland aJiPYOf the Coastal Command iMaWy shot down a German fioatlaHitoe Atlantic. A second enemy ft«iilf 'bfoke off the combat and Spippof the float-planes attacked iiPP from a range of half a mafy loe Sunderland gunners held When the range was retSjjpevgunners went into action, aßßßFhlts. ' immlman broke away and was two attempts to land on sMisWfe'but it finally crashed into : 3Hp second float-plane Hew tfBHPpOt and made off at top ■BPfe Sunderland, which had damage, circled for a time, survivors.

■betct ships n. PORTS

fHt'ntt. ponwc service ■■ {LONDON, June i'j Mr Roosevelt signed der authorising |he the United Stated of ilp now in hfrbour. |n vessel*, including 1 and^i® WU |rfv» Commission power to, i into '''"lender most srests of national deUILD HARBOUR fORWAY )TEBORO, June 7. 'e building a new har-, fine base at TJrpnd* r , on whieb they are rorkers. The Germans ne inhabitants from a