ENEMY SHIPPING SUFFERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 16 May 1941, Page 5

ENEMY SHIPPING SUFFERS

WEEK’S ATTACKS BY NAVY AND R.A.F. (British Official Wireless) Rugby, May 14. Enemy shipping was again continually attacked by units of the British Fleet and the Royal Air Force in the week ended 12th May. At least 12 vessels, ranging from an armed merchant cruiser acting as a commerce raider, (which was sunk by H.M.S. Cornwall ii the Indian Ocean) to patrol vessels which were destroyed off the coasts of Norway, Holland, France and Germany, were sunk or rendered a total loss. Supply ships with an estimated tonnage of 18,000 were sunk and at least six others severely damaged. Dt;ring the attack by British naval forces on Benghazi harbour on Bth May an enemy ammunition ship between 5000 and 6000 tons was blown to pieces. A supply ship of 3000 tons was sunk in the same engagement, while the further bombardment from point-blank range on the night of 10th May caused more damage to enemy shipping and military objectives. The R.A.F. made two more successful attacks on the battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest on the nights of 4th and 7th May, direct hits with powerful armour-piercing bombs being obtained. On 11th May a German raider in the Indian Ocean, and the Norwegian tanker Ketty Bovig, of 7031 tons, captured by the raider, were intercepted by H.M.A.S. Canberra and H.M.S. Leander.