FIERCE ATTACKS ON CHANNEL PORTS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 82, 31 December 1940, Page 8

FIERCE ATTACKS ON CHANNEL PORTS

Relentless R.A.F. Bombing (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 29. Last night, in bad weather, formations of R.A.F. bombers attacked oil targets at Rotterdam and Antwerp and the invasion ports of Boulogne and Cherbourg. Lorient was again attacked and a large fire was observed. Two planes are missing from the Boulogne raid. The’ Air Ministry news service states: “Last night was very dark and cloudy, but aircraft of the Bomber Command were able to continue the attack on the submarine base at Lorient. The raid, which was fairly heavy, lasted for a little more than an hour, beginning about 7 o’clock in the evening. “The pilots often had to wait for low clouds to pass, but when they did it was possible to see bursts on the banks of the River Scorff, where the docks, slips and factories of Lorient are situated. What one pilot described as a very large lire followed the explosion of one stick of bombs. “Docks at Boulogne were also attacked,. though the weather was equally unfavourable. All the bombs were seen to explode alongside the basin. The harbour at Cherbourg was also raided and a small force went to bomb the docks at Antwerp and Rotterdam. At Rotterdam our aircraft were

fortunate enough to find a patch of clear weather.”

The Press gives prominence to tlie fact that observers on the Channel Coast last night were able, clearly to see the progress of the relentless R.A.F. bombing attacks on French invasion ports which were described as the •‘greatest of all raids” on these targets. Attacks were also delivered on enemy coastal positions in the Low Countries. At tlie same time the Press emphasizes tlie importance of unremitting attacks on the Lorient submarine base, which is tlie chief German port for Atlantic raiding. Again last night Lorient was bombed after two raids during the day and heavy attacks on Friday night. Repeated bombing last week of the Merignac aerodrome, near Bordeaux, from which the Nazis send some of their heaviest bombers against the British ocean and sea routes, as well as the attacks on Lorient, produced expressions of satisfaction that the "hornets” which try to sting British shipping are being continuously harassed in their nests.