COMMANDO RAID

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1942, Page 6

COMMANDO RAID

ON FRENCH COAST.

LONDON, June 4. The-three services combined in a commando raid last night on the coast of occupied France. It is described by Combined Operations headquarters as a minor reconnaissance raid in the Boulogne-Le Touquet area. Valuable information was obtained and our casualties were slight. In this area the coast is Hat with sandy beaches flanked by sand dunes, and shallow water extends far out, making a surprise landing difficult. Landing craft have to stand off shore and troops have to wade a considerable way through water from three feet to five feet deep.

It is pointed out that a crossChannel raid in June is a difficult venture, ft was daylight until near]v midnight last night. The raiding flotilla must have set out in plenty of time to enable German reconnaissance aircraft to see the south-bound ships.

RUGBY, June 4. A further communique from Combined Operations Headquaitejs states: Reconnaissance raiders between Boulogne and Le Touquet have now returned to England.,, Casualties were slight. R.A.F. fighters supported land and naval forces during the operation, and provided protection throughout their return.

GERMAN VERSION.

(Recd. noon). LONDON, June 4. The German military spokesman, giving the German version of the British commandos’ landing on the Channel coast, stated: Early this morning, some motor torpedo-boats, with an' escort of low-flying planes, approached the French coast near Le Touquet. The German coastal artillery immediately fired on the British naval units, which had to turn away. The British made, a further landing attempt southwards at the stongpoint they first attacked, and a lew soldiers reached the shore, but the German defences drove them oil and captured some prisoners and some arms. The landing units fled without having achieved anything.