A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 239, 4 July 1940, Page 10

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Nowadays every day brings its reports of R.A.F. raids over Germany. To a long list of achievements which must have taken a terrific toll of German industrial effort they have now added one of their most spectacular feats of the whole war. This was a heavy attack on the German naval base of Kiel and on the battleship Scharnhorst, which lay on a floating (lock undergoing repairs. Since she sallied forth to take her part in the invasion of Norway, this ship lias had experience of British shells, torpedoes and bombs. If and when she goes to sea again she will be a well-scarred craft, because she was hit a number of times in this latest raid. Apart from the sufferings of the battleship, the dock, quays and buildings are reported to have been heavily hit, our aircraft leaving with the sky lit up by the huge fires they had caused. While they were busy at Kiel, other machines were conducting their usual attacks on oil stores, factories and railways in other parts of Germany. The most recent German raids on England have resulted in much heavier casualties than hitherto, the result of bombs striking a northeastern town. Elsewhere many of the bombs seem, as usual, to have fallen in the open. A story of heroism comes from the Maginot Line where, not hearing of the armistice, the garrisons of several foils fought, on for five days before the authorities could inform them that hostilities had ceased. By land, sea and air operations against .Italian forces arc continuing. The Admiralty announces the destruction of four more Italian submarines, making 13 since Italy entered the war. Ah raids have caused more damage to military objectives in Italian territory and the loss of several Italian machines. . -. . , Describing operations on the Libyan frontier, the biitish commander says that a highly-successful guerrilla warfare has been waged. However, the troops now appear to have rather a different proposition on their hands as the Italians arc seemingly making a determined effort to retain the fort which the British forces attacked a day or two ago and are reported to have reinforced their units considerably. The two Republicans appointed to his Cabinet by President Roosevelt have been giving evidence before Senate committees. Both urged giving the greatest possible help to the Allies, though opposing actual American participation in the war. The report of the discussions emphasizes the American realization of what the British Navy means to the defences and security of the country.