SHIPPING SUNK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 December 1940, Page 6

SHIPPING SUNK

R.A.F. BOMBING OPERATIONS BAD WEATHER RESTRICTS NIGHT RAIDS TOWNS IN RHINELAND ATTACKED [British Official Wireless] (Received sth December, 11.30 a.m.) ! RUGBY, 4th December. [ An Air Ministry communique states ! that bombs were dropped on Tuesday on ! enemy-occupied aerodromes in northern France. Bad weather restricted operations last nighl, but nevertheless attacks were made on the towns of Ludwigshaven and Mannheim where explosions and fires were seen. Other targets | included a blast furnace plant at Essen and objectives in Dunkirk. One of our planes is missing. In the latest operations against Norwegian harbours and shipping along the coast a Canadian pilot sank a German vessel. Four other ships were either sunk or damaged, and several harbours were badly knocked about. In a heavy raid made on one harbour a tremendous explosion showed that a munition dump had blown up. GERMAN AIR COMMUNIQUE (Received sth December. 1.35 a.m.) LONDON, 4th December. A German communique says: “Heavy bombers attacked aerodromes, camps and armament factories in England. Isolated British planes bombed west and south-west Germany. Slight damage was done and there were no casualties. FIGHTER’S LONG CHASE BRITAIN TO DUTCH COAST ENEMY DRIVEN INTO SEA [British Official Wireless) (Received sth December. 2.0 p.m.) RUGBY. 4th December. When practising aerial tactics over an aerodrome on Wednesday morning a Spitfire pilot of the R.A.F. Fighter Command sighted a Heinkel 111 bomber in the distance and at once gave chase, says the Air Ministry news service. He pursued it in and out of the clouds right across the North Sea to the coast of Holland then lost it, but his journey was not wasted. As the pilot turned to come home he saw at the mouth of the Scheldt another Heinkel 111 flying below him. He dived on it and forced it down almost to sea level. He then fired two bursts from his eight machineguns and watched it plunge into the water.