Some Details Revealed of Enemy Activity

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 24 October 1940, Page 5

Some Details Revealed of Enemy Activity

CONCENTRATIONS STILL REMAIN . (British Official Wireless] (Received 24th October, 10.57 a.m.) RUGBY, 23rd October. Since the first threat of invasion was made early last month pilots of the R.A.F. have kept constant watch on all German sea bases from Narvik to Bordeaux, a distance of about 2000 miles, and there is little doubt that their vigilance and harassing tactics have greatly interfered with the enemy’s plans. Until lately it would have been extremely unwise to let the enemy know how much was known of his preparations and the effect on them of R.A.F. attacks. Even now the story can only be told in part. From the first day the enemy concentrated forces in every available port and harbour, both large and small, aircraft of the R.A.F. have carried out reconnaissance and as a result brought back invaluable information. In the early days of September reports showed only small concentrations of men and materials, but as time progressed the concentrations became more and more imposing, and before long hundreds of barges and other war equipment had been assembled at Antwerp, Calais, Dunkirk, Ostend, Nieuport and Le Havre. From the air many barges were daily reported to be moving slowly from one canal to another. Small warships also moved near the barges, which were self-propelled and over 150 feet in length, each capable of carrying large quantities of men and materials. It was also known that the enemy had commandeered every available barge over 500 tons and armies of workmen were employed in shipyards altering the bows of the vessels to enable tanks and guns to be more easily carried and disembarked. Besides these concentrations of barges there were also submarines ip many harbours—some of them of the ocean-going type—large motor vessels and merchant ships. On one occasion 45 large merchant ships were reported to be at Le Havre. Inland, new aircraft shelters were being built on many aerodromes, from which it was expected that enemy aircraft would play a part in an invasion. It was noted, too, that railways were particularly busy, especially between Germany and the Low Countries.

R.A.F. OFFENSIVE BEGINS On sth September the strong offensive against the enemy was begun on a large scale, and in the numerous attacks that followed, both by day and by night, heavy damage was inflicted. All along the coast each “invasion port” in turn came in for a heavy bombardment. Naval docks and shipbuilding yards at Hamburg and Bremen were bombed as well. In many instances the raids lasted several hours. From reports received from reliable sources there is further evidence that widespread damage has been done. At Dunkirk, for instance, the quay between two of the main docks, a large fourbay building and another building were levelled to the ground. At Brest attacks on an arsenal and aerodromes proved equally successful and at Calais it is known that buildings and the south end of the dry dock were destroyed by fire, that the east side of the docks was damaged and the lock between the inner basin and the navigation port suffered considerably. There are signs also of extensive fires along the Quai de la Louvre, and according to one report electricity works nearby were completely destroyed. At Lorient, during one of the many raids, buildings on a jetty were directly hit and damage was also done to a torpedo-boat station. In the same seaport hits were scored on barracks, resulting in many casualties among the German troops stationed there. Outside the harbour, mines laid by British aircraft trapped and sank several ships. Other evidence to hand makes it plain that extensive damage was done to the enemy’s “invasion” equipment in the occupied ports along the Dutch and Belgian coast. SURPRISE BOMBARDMENT It is now clear that the naval bombardment and air attack on Cherbourg a few days ago took the enemy by surprise. It appears that the shore defences mistook the naval bombardment for part of the air attack, for the only response to the fire from the British ships was a marked intensification of anti-aircraft fire of all types. It was not until after the bombardment ceased and the British force were withdrawn that the enemy’s heavy batteries replied to the naval guns. The threat of invasion still persists, and will persist as long as naval units, barges, troops and air forces are concentrated along the extensive coastline of the enemyoccupied countries. They are still there, and while they remain the invasion ports will doubtless continue to be battered by bombers of the R.A.F. wherever it is considered necessary.