NAVY BOMBARDS STAVANGER

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 175, 19 April 1940, Page 9

NAVY BOMBARDS STAVANGER

Heavy Shellfire For Over An Hour BOMB HITS CRUISE!’ Trondheim Area Attack* By R.A.F. LONDON, April 17. An Admiralty communique state - that the Navy heavily bombarded Stavanger aerodrome for 80 minutes early this morning. After the action against the aerodrome, which the Royal Air Force had already bombed seven times, a bomb hit a British cruiser, which was damaged, but it was able to continue on its course to its base. The German news agency stales that a German plane hit a British battleship with a bomb of very heavy calibre during an attack by British naval forces in south-west Norway. It is officially stated that the Royal Air Force last night bombed Trondheim aerodrome and a nearby seaplane base. A large fire was observed after the attack.

It is considered in London to be highly probable that the bombardment of Stavanger has made the aerodrome useless to the Germans. A British Official Wireless report says that an aircraft of the R.A.F. Coastal Command arrived over Stavanger just before the naval force opened fire on the air base to assist in “spotting” for the bombardment. The pilot stated: “It was dark, with just a hint of daylight when I got into position. I 'began the operation by dropping a flare, which floodlit the aerodrome. I then dropped a number m’ incendiary bombs on enemy aircrati, and fires resulted. I could see nuinerous flashes as soon as the guns were fired.” One enemy aircraft, a Junker, clia*lenged the Coastal Command observe'-. A few of its bullets hit the wings and tail of his machine, but he replied <<• effectively that the Junker fled.. As the British warships were returning home after the bombardment Ger man planes pursued them and it w..s then that one of the bombs dropped hit a cruiser. She received some damage, but continued on her course.