NAVAL POUNDING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20864, 17 August 1942, Page 3

NAVAL POUNDING

ITALIAN BASE RHODES BOMBARDED WATERFRONT ABLAZE (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) GO a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 16. A British naval squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral P. L. Vian bombarded Rhodes, the chief Italian base in the Dodecanese Islands. The attack was carried out early on Thursday morning, lasted for 12 minutes, and took the Italians completely by surprise. As the warships sailed away, the fires could be seen burning along the waterfront of the town of Rhodes. Reuter’s correspondent with the squadron says that the timing of the action and the air and sea co-operation were perfect. The whole operation had the Vian touch. Planes spotted for the warships and dropped flares. Several salvoes hit the town before the shore batteries replied. Several shells from the batteries passed over the warships uncomfortably low and some salvoes burst close, but the squadron suffered no losses. The first sign of life from Rhodes came as the squadron was steaming along the coast. Streams of tracer bullets shot up as Italian anti-aircraft guns vainly sought the British planes. The worst moment came half an hour before the warships were off the town of Rhodes. Two searchlights suddenly flicked on and dipped across the sea. They seemed to pause when they fell on the warships and then, inexplicably, they swung up again. The squadron began shelling at 1 a.m. The waterfront buildings and a large ship stood out clearly. After pounding the town, the warships silently raced away. Reconnaissance planes trailed the squadron on Friday but did not attack.