BIGGER RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1940, Page 7

BIGGER RAIDS

BY ENEMY ’PLANES NAVY ATTACKED Orkneys Bombed AND COASTS OF SCOTLAND BRITISH ACCOUNTS. [Aus & N.Z- Cable Assn.] LONDON, March 17. On Saturday night German bomber planes made raids on the Orkneys Islands, including Scapa Flow, and all round the coasts of Scotland. I An Admiralty communique states: German aeroplanes at 7.50 p.m., on ! March 16 raided the fleet anchoiage I at Scapa Flow. About fourteen reached their objective. A considerable number of bombs were dropped, one hitting a warship, which suffered only ' minor damage. Bombs were also dropped on land, but no military objectives were hit. One civilian was killed and ' seven were wounded, including two women. Five cottages were damaged. The naval personnel sustained seven casualties. Ship batteries, shore defences and fighter ’planes combined to drive off the enemy. One enemy j aircraft was shot down, and others | are believed to have been damaged. • The civilian casualties resulting j from the bombing raid on Scapa Flow i occurred in the village of Bridge of i Waith. Several cottages were damagI’ ed. The civilian casualties are the | first non-combatant casualties due to I air attack sustained in Britain since . the beginning of the war. 1 Over 50 high-explosive bombs fell jon the west mainland area of the i Orkneys, also scores of smaller incendiary bombs, one of which set fire to haystacks. Humble Stenness folk mourn the death of a neighbour, James Isbister. He-was standing at the door of his home, when an escaping enemy ’plane I dropped a number of bombs, one of | which exploded near the Bridge 1 of I Waithe, killing him and wounding two others, and damaging several cottages. It is recalled that Mr Churchill recently stated that the Navy has not used Scape Flow since the Royal Oak was torpedoed.

British naval circles state: “Our eastern and northern bases are recognised as subject to air attacks but we are confident of giving a good account of ourselves. It is significant that only a small portion of the force dispatched from Germany took part 'in the action. The others must have missed their way. Even the majority of German planes, actually participating, preferred killing and wounding civilians in a village miles from the harbour, to facing fire from the ship’s batteries.” The German official news agency states: The concentration of warships at Scapa Flow was obviously connected with preparations for a special undertaking. Meanwhile, the German 'planes rushed over there with lightning speed, and inflicted considerable losses despite strong opposition. The success of the attack means that the I British must “write off” this base. All defensive measures, which were intensified while the British fleet hid itself in the western haunts, proved ineffective. The attacks against .Scapa Flow must be considered a matter of routine.

Raids occurred tall around the coasts of Scotland on Saturday night. German planes attempted to bomb naval and military objectives. Heinkel bombers tried to reach the Forth Bridge, but were beaten off by British lighters. The attackers did not get within bombing distance of the bridge. R.A.F. fighters intercepted four enemy bombers off the Scottish coast, and damaged two, one of which is unlikely to reach its base. A German ’plane, swooping down, machine-gunned a collier off the north-east coast of Scotland. The collier replied with machine-gun fire, after which the ’plane departed. Two enemy ’planes later bombed three trawlers, but British fighters chased them off. BOMBS EVERY FEW MINUTES. !Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received March 18, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 18. The German air raiders at the Orkneys came down to a height of two thousand feet when over Kirkwall. Bombs fell every few minutes, scatering debris forty feet into the air and setting fire to trees and to homes.