HAMMERED HARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 7

HAMMERED HARD

BASE AT QUI BE RON.

JUBILANT FRENCH

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

(British Official Wireless.)

(Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Mar. 23. An Air Ministry, commuuique states that during operations oyer the Erench coast this morning aircraft of the Coastal Command destroyed a German barrack block at the Port of Quiberon (south of Lorient) and a direct hit on an enemy escort vessel near Brest. None of our aircraft are, missing.

Further details of the attacks are given by the Air Ministry News Service which says that two direct hits were scored on the Quiberon barrack block almost simultaneously with heavy bombs. The blast shook the attacking Blenheim 1000 ft above. At least half the buildings were seen to he demolished.

Visibility was less than 100 yards when the escorting (flak) ship was attacked near Brest. Two bombs were dropped, one of which, hit the vessel. The British airmen repeatedly saw evidence of the real sympathies of the people of Occupied France. "We flew very low along miles of the coast," said a pilot, "and every time we passed over French fishing boats, fishermen mending their nets on the sliore, or people near beaches they waved cheeringly as soon as they saw our British marking."