Military lmportance Of Channel Ports

Northern Advocate, 25 June 1940, Page 9

Military lmportance Of Channel Ports

Although the Germans are in possession of the strategically important Channel ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge, in Belgium, and Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne in northern France, the Allies still hold the equally significant ports of Dieppe. Le Havre, and Cherbourg. Those which have been lost have not been handed over until port works have been destroyed or until entrances have been blocked. The third port of Belgium, Ostend had modern docks accommodating ships of large tonnage. It is joined to Eruges and Zeebruggc by canals. Ostend was occupied by the Germans for four years in the last war and, with Zeebrugge, was a base for the operations of the Flanders submarine flotillas. Dunkirk a Deep-sea Port. Dunkirk is a deep-sea port on the Straits of Dover at which numbers of ships carrying New Zealand produce have called in the past. For most of the last war it was only 18 miles behind the Allied front .and was heavily bombed and damaged. The harbour is approached by a fine natural roadstead entered on the east .and west and protected in the north by sandbanks. Canals link the port with the rich agricultural, mining and industrial areas of Northern France and Belgium. Calais. 18 miles east-south-east of Dover, has been the principal port of continental passenger and mail traffic with England. Anchorage for the largest ships is provided in the roadstead and .an entrance channel provides an opening to an extensive dock system well adapted to handle military needs. Napoleon’s Choice. The point from which Napoleon intended to make his invasion of England early in the nineteenth century, Boulogne-sur-Mer is 28 miles southeast of Folkestone. The deep-water harbour is sheltered by the Carnot breakwater and is formed by the mouth of the Liane. Vessels up to 25,000 tons have used the anchorage, but a large dock system has facilities for smaller ships. In the last war the town and port were under British administration and devoted to military use, being a main channel for reinforcements. Dieppe has one of the safest and deepest harbours on the English Channel. In the roadstead there is a good anchorage and an entrance channeli 1378 ft. long covered by two breakwaters gives admission to basins suitable for berthing ocean-going vessels. Newhaven, on the English, coast, is 64 miles distant. Two Naval Bases. The second seaport of France, Le Havre is a naval base and is a terminal for shipping services to many parts of the world. There .are 14 basins with more than eight miles of quays. In the last war it was used by British and United States authorities as a base and as a point for landing troops and stores.

Cherbourg is a naval station, fortified town and seaport, the naval and commercial harbours separated by about half a mile. There are two extensive sheltered roadsteads, the larger and outer being guarded by three breakwaters. The inner roadstead is protected by two additional breakwaters with an entrance passage of 1640 ft. A new deep-water quay, 1830 ft. long, provides berths for the largest Atlantic liners and is equipped with a new maritime railway station.