ALMOST POINT BLANK

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 9

ALMOST POINT BLANK

SHARP ENCOUNTER

MOTOR-BOATS AND ENEMY CRAFT

FIGHT IN THE DARK

DAMAGE TO GERMAN SHIPS

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received August 14, noon.) RUGBY, August 13. An Admiralty communique states: "In the early hours of this morning some of our motor torpedo-boats made contact with enemy light forces. The enemy, when sighted, were only about 100 yards from our moior torpedo-boats, which were travelling at about 30 knots. They were two small ships. One of our motor torpedo-boats, thinking that the enemy ahead was an E-boat and being too close to take other action, rammed it. The enemy ships were, however, larger than E-boats and this motor torpedo-boat suffered some damage to her bows. "Another of our motor torpedoboats passed between two enemy ships and engaged them with machine-gun fire and grenades at almost point-blank range. It is considered that this fire took considerable effect. The enemy's return fire was ineffective. "A third of our motor torpedoboats passed beyond these two enemy ships and sighted two larger vessels. She engaged these with machine-gun fire at very close range. "Later one of our motor torpedoboats had two running fights with an enemy E-boat. It was too dark to ascertain what damage was inflicted on the enemy during these fights. After this action some of our motor torpedo-boats were attacked by a German aeroplane from a height of 500 feet. Our motor torpedo-boats opened a hot and accurate fire and when last seen the aircraft was on fire and losing height rapidly. "No casualties were suffered by the British forces in any of these engagements and there was no damage, apart from that suffered by the one boat ramming an enemy ship. This boat also returned safely."