Daring Submarine Attack On Corsican Airfield

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 160, 8 July 1943, Page 5

Daring Submarine Attack On Corsican Airfield

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, July 5. A British submarine carried out a daring daylight attack on an enemy airfield in Northern Corsica recently. The commander of the submarine, Lieutenant Ainsley, describing the attack, states that, penetrating the harbour submerged, they were disappointed to find no shipping there and it was decided to carry out a short and sharp bombardment of the aerodrome to liven up proceedings.

Surfacing half a mile from the shore, the submarine commenced 11 shaking up the aerodrome,” Lieutenant-Command-er Ainsley said. He addea: “It is possible that a parade was taking place at the time as more than 200 men all wearing full uniform suddenly appeared from behind a hangar, raced across the landing-ground, and disappeared into various funk-holes. “Twenty rounds were fired before return fire from the gun positions on the edge of the landing-ground forced the submarine to dive.” All the submarine’s shots, which were carefully aimed, burst in or around the hangars. From one hangar large volumes of smoke appeared. A workshop was damaged by several hits and a small building was completely demolished in a sheet of flame. The submarine was undamaged.