GUNS BOMBARD DOVER AREA

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 11

GUNS BOMBARD DOVER AREA

Fairly Wide Damage; Few Casualties R.A.F. RETALIATES Coast Batteries Said To Be Inefficient Weapon (Bv Telegraph—'Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, August 22. German long-range guns for about half an hour tonight shelled the Dover area. Simultaneously British planes launched a great attack on these guns and over other emplacements between Boulogne and Calais, from which this morning the Germans had unsuccessfully bombarded a convoy in the Straits of Dover. The shelling caused fairly widespread damage, but remarkably few casualties considering the heaviness of the bombardment. Gunnery experts state that longrange guns are inefficient without effective plane-spotting and the pilot must have full opportunity to follow the course of the shells, which was impossible tonight because of the hot R.A.F. counterattack. The chief value of the long-range guns is for propaganda purposes. The Germans cannot hope to hide the guns from aerial photographers, resulting in heavy British bombing. A British communique states: “Last evening enemy artillery on the French coast opened lire on the Dover area, causing some damage to buildings and a number of casualties.” Heavy gunfire on the French coast shook towns on the English side of the Channel, and numerous flares and tracer shells lit up the sky, while red glows ou the waterline illuminated the French coastline as the British planes apparently made au intensive bombing attack at or near Calais and endeavoured to locate and destroy the batteries which had attacked the convoy. Silencing the Guns.

The Germans began shelling the .English coast shortly after dusk. A terrific explosion shook the Channel coast at 9 ip.m. Gun-flashes were stab bing the darkness and shells were heard screaming in the sky. A salvo of three shells opened the bombardment. German anti-aircraft guns flashed from Calais to Boulogne, indicating that strong formations of British planes were attacking. The British raid temporarily silenced the long-range guns, which an hour later again roared into action, sending five shells acros sthe Channel. R.A.F. bombers thereupon delivered a second and fiercer attack. The attack on the convoy this morning was made by shore batteries some 20 miles away. It is estimated that for some periods the fire was at the rate of 10 rounds every minute and that from SO to 100 shells were fired. When the leading ship of the convoy was in the Straits of Dover batteries all the way from Calais to Boulogne opened fire on the line of ships. Watchers on the English, coast could see the flames of the guns, which appeared to be firing in batches of four Huge columns of water were thrown up by the shell-bursts. Gallant Crews. . Naval authorities express immense admiration for the gallantry of the skippers and crews of the little cargo boats who, undaunted, ran the gauntlet of shell-fire and later of aerial bombs for two hours.

The official account of the attack is contained in a joint Admiralty and Air Ministry communique, which states: “Shortly before noon one of our convoys in the vicinity of the Straits of Dover came under Are from heavy guns mounted on the French coast. The warships escorting the convoy immediately laid smoke-screens to conceal the convoy from the enemy. Though some shells fell fairly close to the ships, no ship of the convoy or escort was hit or received damage.

“The same convoy was later attacked by enemy aircraft, but no damage was caused by this attack and the enemy was driven off by our gunfire and fighter aircraft. Our fighters shot down one enemy aircraft in the course of this action.”

A Berlin message states that a spokesman, endeavouring to excuse the failure of the attacks, denied that the guns were aimed at the convoy and insisted it was merely practice firing.

ANOTHER KENT AREA SHELLED

Slight Damage To Church

LONDON, August 23. A later agency message from the south-east states that another part of Kent was also shelled. A church was slightly damaged. The shelling of Dover lasted for an hour. This is the first systematic shelling of its type by land guns in the war. Observers say that there was a lapse of minutes between the flash of the guns and the explosion of the shells, which were fired from 21 miles distant. About a dozen shells lauded.

BALTIC STATES

Britain Considering Note

From Russia (British Official Wirch ss.)

RUGBY, August 22.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A. Butler, told the House of Commons that a communication bad been received from the Soviet Government regarding the incorporation of the three Baltic States in the Soviet Union. It was still under the consideration of the British Government, and he was not in a position to disclose its contents.

SINGAPORE WAR FUND

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, August 22.

How valuable lias been the initiative of the “Straits Times” of Singapore in stimulating the patriotic generosity of the people of the colony is indicated by the fact that the £50,000 which was transmitted to tlie Treasury on June 17 makes the total contribution £-100,000. The Singapore colony war fund and that of the Federated Malay Stales now aggregate more than £500,000.