BREAK-OUT FOILED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 284, 28 August 1944, Page 5

BREAK-OUT FOILED

Enemy Vessels Attacked

(British Official Wireless.) (Received August 27, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, August 26. The Royal Navy since August 13 sunk, set on fire or badly damaged at least 50 German ships trying to escape from the coast of Normandy, Brittany, Belgium or Holland, while many others have been driven ashore in flames or in a sinking condition. Twenty-three ships have been definitely sunk, 15 badly damaged or probably sunk, and more than a dozen set on fire. These vessels include destroyers, E-boats, R-boats, heavily-armed escort vessels M class minesweepers, auxiliary vessels, supply ships and tankers. The British warships sustained no damage and only three slight casualties. The Admiralty says light forces of the Royal Navy and the United States Navy today frustrated further enemy efforts to break out of ports in northern France under cover of darkness. Before dawn today, the frigate, 11.M.5. Thornborough, and the French destroyer, La Combattantc, intercepted and' engaged a north-bound convoy of six armed coasters and an R-boat off Cap Dantifer. British and American light forces joined m the action, sinking four enemy gun coasters and the R-boat and driving the remaining two gun coasters ashore. . In a further engagement His Majesty s motor torpedo boats engaged six R-boats and two auxiliary vessels. Several or the enemy ships were damaged before they could reach temporary safety in Fecamp. Other British motor torpedo boats yesterday encountered a number of heavilyarmed escort vessels south-west of the Hook of Holland. Torpedo hits were obtained on three enemy vessels, two ot which blew up and sank and a third was. left severely damaged. In all three engagements the Allied forces sustained* neither casualties nor damage.