Nazi Planes Repeat Attacks On Shipping Most Ambitious Raids Since War Started

Northern Advocate, 31 January 1940, Page 5

Nazi Planes Repeat Attacks On Shipping Most Ambitious Raids Since War Started

Majority of Vessels Escape (Received noon.) LONDON, January 30. THE air ministry has announced that the enemy IS REPEATING YESTERDAY’S ATTACK ON EAST COAST SHIPPING. Reports indicate that a reconnaissance plane appeared over the East (toast early in the morning, and disappeared out to sea when fighters approached. Another plane attacked shipping at Yarmouth. Fighters and coastal patrol planes pursued and shot down the enemy plane. German planes dropped two bombs on a patrol ship and another vessel lying in a roadstead off the East Coast. The ship zig-zagged, and the bombs apparently missed. Hundreds of people on the shore saw the bomber swoop down three times, once to within a few feet of the ship’s funnels.

RJV..F. Fighters Roar In Pursuit. The steamer Jersey Queen sent out an S.O.S. that she was being attacked by enemy planes. A fourth ship is also reported to have been attacked. Ambulances hurried to the shore .as explosions were heard at sea. Formations of Royal Air Force fighters roared over coastal towns in hot pursuit. A plane machine-gunned the Grimsby trawler Rigoletto (212 tons) in the North Sea, killing the skipper and the mate. Almost Hit Church Spire. Two German bombers, flying ,at 500 feet, appeared over the East Coast of Scotland with a British plane in close pursuit. . .They passed over the town so low •that one almost- crashed into the church spire. .The Air Ministry .announced that fighters intercepted German bombers in Scotland and put out of action the rear gunner of one machine, which disappeared into the clouds. «a~ Wide Area Covered. It is estimated that 18 German .aeroplanes bombed and machinegunned at least 12 merchant ships and two light-ships yesterday, during the most ambitious series of air attacks on British shipping since the outbreak of the war. The raids were launched over the stretch of 400 miles from the River Tay to the Kentish coast. The attacks lasted from shortly after 9 a.m. until nearly midday. A number of seamen were killed or wounded, but the majority of the ships escaped, so the attacks cannot be reckoned to have been a success. Ships Reporting Attacks. Ships which reported having been attacked off the Kentish coast were the British tankers British Officer (6990 tons) and the Athel Monarch (8995 tons), and the British steamer Danybryn (5360 tons) and Miriam (1903 tons). Other ships reporting attacks at various points were the British steamers Knitsley (2272 tons), Otterpool (4867 tons), Standurn (2881 tons) and Wellpark (4648 tons). A raider dropped seven bombs near the British steamer Llanwern (4966 tons) without creating any damage. Tyneside fighters drove off another raider which was attacking the British steamer Imperial Monarch (5831 tons), drove a Heinkel bomber into ■ the clouds over the Tyneside, .and repeated the performance further souin. A bullet struck a fighter, but did no damage. Light-Ship Abandoned. Other fighters stopped attacks on ships off the Yorkshire coast, including two defenceless light-ships. One light-ship was badly damaged, and was abandoned. An eight-hour search has failed to locate her two boats. The British steamer Gripfast (1109 tons) reached port badly damaged after an’ attack, with one man dead and one wounded. The Otterpool also reached port with two. men wounded. One of the crew said a Heinkel bomber scoured the ship with machine-gun fire, wounding both the ship’s gunners as they were running to their stations. The captain lay on the bridge and fired on the raider with a rifle each time it swooped down. Tlie aeroplane flew away into a bank of .clouds when three British fighters appeared. • Latvian Steamer Bombed. • Ten: bombs were dropped on the Latvian steamer Tautmila (3724 tons) in the North Sea, killing seven men, and another member of the crew was seen .adrift in a. damaged boat, fcr whom a life-boat is now searching. ■ ■ .A patrol boat landed the captain, his wife and 15 of the crew on the .'Norfolk coast. “Those devils, flew over the deck so low that I thought the propellers were going to smash us,” said the captain. “My ship was English-built, and stood 10 bombs without sinking—she is out there now, burning to the water’s edge. ' “We had Latvian flags painted on both sides, but the aeroplanes ignored them. “Bombs fell in the hold and the engine-room, and steam gushed out. “Then she caught fire. Several of Crew Killed. “Another bomb fell among the crew . as they were lowering a boat, lulling some and throwing others into the sea. . “Bombs were still falling as we got out the second boat. “I pushed my wife in first, .and we .piled in.

“The cook stopped to put on some clothing and a bomb exploded on top of him.”

According to a message from Berlin, an official statement says the raiding resulted in the destruction of seven armed merchant ships and p.atrol boats.

It is claimed that one British aeroplane was shot down, but all the German machines returned. The German Government has issued a decree which proclaims the islands of Borkum, Norderney, Langeoog, Spiekeroog. Wangeroog and Sylt, off the German coast, as military security districts.

The inhabitants are being evacuated to the mainland.