BRUSHES WITH ENEMY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1942, Page 6

BRUSHES WITH ENEMY

LIGHT FORCES AT SEA

(Rec. 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, July 31. ~ The Admiralty states: "During, last night our/light- coastal forces were active in the North Sea and theJSnglish Channel, and there were . three brushes. with the enemy. . ■. "In the early hours of this morning one of our patrols- intercepted five armed trawlers off Ymuiden. Our patrol attacked^ and1 an; action followed which lasted ten minutes. The enemy was repeatedly hit, and the last ship of the line was seen to be on fire. This action was broken off as one t>f our boats was hit and disabled. ; She was taken in tow, and has now reached base. There were some casualties in this boat. . , ■ .... ,• ■ "About 50 minutes later -the same enemy force was' met and attacked by another: of our "patrols. A brief action followed in which- further casualties and damage were certainly inflicted upon the enemy. The last ship of the enemy line, which had been hit and set on fire in the first action, was again hit;, and the fire increased to very large proportbns. This ship was thought to be a total loss. : This action had to be broken off owing' to daylight. Our" patrol suffered neither casualties nor damage.

"While engaged ■ with the enemy armed trawlers, both of our patrols were heavily but ineffectively attacked by, aircraft and were also engaged by enemy shore batteries. . "In the English Channel three enemy iorpedo-boats or mine-sweepers, escorted by E-boats, were encountered and attacked off the French- coast by a patrol of light coastal craft- The enemy was certainly hit during a brief action, but it was not possible to assess the damage inflicted. 'Our patrol suffered neither casualties nor damage."-^8.0.W- :•--.■« ■•■.-.;„-; v,•.■:-,■.