PORTSMOUTH BOMBED

Evening Star, Issue 23832, 12 March 1941, Page 7

PORTSMOUTH BOMBED

CONSTANT PROCESSION OF RAIDERS THOUSANDS OF INCENDIARIES DROPPED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 11. Received March 12, at 12.25 p.m.) Bedlam broke out in the Portsmouth area last night, when a heavy barrage accompanied the noise of screaming and exploding bombs as a constant procession of raiders flew over the city. Thousands of incendiary bombs were dropped, and at one stage the country* side was lit up for miles. Business premises ' were set on fire. Many houses were demolished and the occupants trapped. Rescue squads worked heroically and extricated three from collapsed houses and a number from private shelters. A surface shelter received a direct hit, bub there were only two casualties. Three people were killed in another public shelter which was damaged. A first aid post was hit, but only five persons sustained slight injuries. Some roads were blocked. A trolley bus service was interrupted when overhead wires came down. The town lost two more churches, while others, including the synagogue, were damaged. Business premises also suffered, R.A.F. RAIDS COLOGNE BOMBED AGAIN HEAVY ATTACKS ON NAVAL BASES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 11. (Received March 12, at 11 a.m.) An Air Ministry communique sates: Last night a small force of Bomber Command aircraft made a successful attack on the industrial centre in Cologne, The weather was good, and the results were easy to observe. Bombs were seen to burst on the approaches to the Hohenzollern Bridge, where large fires were started. Many other fires were observed in the industrial centre, and there were several explosions. German naval bases in occupied territory were attacked by other squadrons of the Bomber Command. Though the weather was less favourable on the coast of France good results were observed in Boulogne. From these operations one of our planes is missing. Aircraft of the Coast Command attacked the docks at Cherbourg and Brest. One of our machines is missing from these operations.,. Aircraft of the Fighter Command carried out offensive patrols over aerodromes in Northern France. One of our planes is missing from these patrols. SHIPPING LOSSES THIRD HIGHEST OF WAR NAZI BLITZ STARTED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 11. It was announced to-day that for the week ended March 3 the shipping losses totalled 148,000 tons, the third highest since the outbreak of the war. Twentynine ships were lost, 20 of them being British , ships totalling 123,000 tons. Eight ivere Allied vessels and one neutral. The-opinion is expressed in informed quarters in London that Germany has begun her supreme effort to drive British shipping from the seas, and that from now on intense warfare will he waged. As one official put it, “we must expect our ups and downs.” Arrangements have been made recently dealing with measures to 'counter the menace at sea, and it is expected that increasingly good results will be achieved. Confidence is expressed that Britain will ride out the storm. In this regard the words of Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Commancler-iii-Chicf of the Mediterranean, are recalled. Speaking recently of the German threat of a spring offensive, Sir Andrew said: “A good many springs will come and go and Britain will remain mistress of the seas.” BRITISH COUNTER-MEASURES PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL RESULTS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 11. (Received March 12, at 9.20 a.m.) Mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ended midnight, March 2-3, are officially stated by the Admiralty ’ to be:—British, 20 ships (102,871 tons) ; Allied, eight ships (41,970) ; neutral, one ship (3,197) —a total of 29 ships, with a tonnage of 147,938. The communique adds that the German and Italian claims' in the same week totalled 432,500 tons. While the week’s losses may be taken as pointing to a start of Hitler’s promised spring offensive at sea, responsible quarters in London do not take an unduly pessimistic view of the situation, especially in the light of the improvement in Britain’s counter-measures. No details of these measures are given, but it can be stated that ■they have produced particularly successful results recently.