NIGHT RAIDS ON BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23351, 10 June 1941, Page 7

NIGHT RAIDS ON BRITAIN

PEW AIRCRAFT FLY INLAND R.A.F. BOMBERS OVER GERMANY * (Received June 9, 11 p.m,) LONDON, June 9. Few enemy aircraft flew inland over Britain last night. Bombs were dropped at points near the coast causing little damage and few casualties, says an Air Ministry communique. Some houses were destroyed in a town on the coast of Cornwall and a small number of persons was killed, An official communique 1 dealing with enemy air activity over Britain in daylight yesterday states; “Late in the afternoon single enemy aircraft dropped bombs near the Cornish coast, but no casualties were reported and very little damage was done, Up to 10 p.m. no other enemy activity over this country was reported. Machines of the Bomber Command of the Royal Air Force attacked targets in Western Germany last night Though not on a large scale, the raid*' achieved successful results. The German naval base at Brest was raided by the Royal Air Force on Saturday night in spite of a sea fog that made observation difficult. Sticks of bombs fell across the docks. Brest, wis last attacked a month ago, when damage was done to the German battle cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. Enemy shipping at the port of Bergen, in Norway, was also attacked. An Air Ministry communique states: “In daylight on Saturday Bomber Command aircraft sighted and ' bombed more enemy shipping. A convoy of supply ships off the Dutch coast was attacked during the morniig and two ships were set on fire arid probably destroyed. Other vessels in this convoy were damaged. “Later in the day bomb and machine-gun attacks were made on an escorted supply ship off the Norwegian coast, and other vessels in convoy off the Dutch coast. A salvage ship, lying beside a large submerged wreck off Terschelling, and surrounded by anti-aircraft ships, was bombed and set oh fire. On their way back two of our bombers were hotly engaged by enemy fighters, one of which, when last seen, was circling slowly and losing height with black smoke pouring from it. “Aircraft of the Fighter Command on Saturday carried out offensive patrols over Dover and occupied territory. “From these daylight operations three of our bombers and one fighter are missing.”

WEEK’S LOSSES IN THE AIR 36 AXIS MACHINES TO 22 BRITISH (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 8. Axis aircraft losses in the week ended at dusk on Saturday totalled 36, against 22 Royal Air Force machines. Over Britian and round the British coasts, the Germans lost 13 machines, of which 10 .were destroyed at night, and the Royal Air Force lost none. Over Germany and German-occupied territory, the Germans lost six and the Royal Air Force 17. The Germans also lost one at sea. . In the Middle East, the Axis lost seven in the air and six on the ground, while the Royal Air Force lost five Three enemy aircraft were destroyed by His Majesty’s ships. EXPORTS FROM AUSTRALIA DECLINE IN VALUE FOR ELEVEN MONTHS (Received June 10, 12.30 a.m.) CANBERRA, June 9. Exports of merchandise from Australia during the 11 months ended May 3! fell away by £10,000,000 compared with 1939-40. Officially, the decline is regarded as relatively small in view of the shipping shortage and the dislocation of trade routesPETROL RATIONING IN AUSTRALIA FURTHER RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE (Received June 10,12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 9. Federal Ministers to-day strongly hinted that further petrol restrictions are imminent throughout Australia. Senator Mcßride, the Minister for Supply, declared that petrol stocks had fallen considerably since December in spite of rationing. He appealed to private car owners to use their cars sparingly and make greater use of public transport facilities. Mr Jordan Opens War Weapons Week.—The High Commissioner for New Zealand In London (Mr W. J. Jordan), with Mrs Jordan, opened war weapons week at Tetbury—the fifteenth such week he has opened so far. Queen Mary attended and praised the services of New Zealand men and women in the forces. —London, June 8. President on Week-end Cruise.—Mr Roosevelt is on a week-end cruise in Chesapeake Bay in the yacht Potomac. He Is accompanied by Mr Harry Hopkins and the Crown Princess Martha of Norway.—New York, June 8.