FUTURE TASKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 16 February 1942, Page 5

FUTURE TASKS

POSSIBLE ACTION BY GERMAN WARSHIPS (Rec., 11.20 a.m.) London, Feb., 51. Assuming that the German warships are not damaged their future tasks, according to authoritative British naval opinion, may include, firstly, to invite general fleet action in the North Atlantic: secondly, increase surface raiding, making it necessary to escort convoys with battleships; thirdly, an attempt at an assault on Kronstadt, Leningrad’s fortress, from the sea; fourthly, to create a base on the Norwegian coast, possibly at Narvik, to attack convoys going to Russia.—P.A. DOMINION PILOTS PARTICIPATE (Rec., 11.20 a.m.) London. Feb.. 15. Australians and New Zealanders fully shared in the Beaufort torpedo attack against German ships. Pilot Officer E. Birchley and Pilot Officer R. Archer, of Brisbane, flew on either side of Squadron Leader W. Cliff. Pilot Officer Archer said that the Scharnhorst hit his Beaufort and the top of the cockpit was blown off. The rear gunner and Pilot Officer A. Wells of Wellington, were wounded. The navigator, Sergeant D. N. Keeling, also of Wellington, replaced the gunner in the turret. Pilot Officer Birchley. after dropping his torpedo put his head out of the cockpit window to try to see the result through the mist. Pilot Officer Birchley flew within a hundred yards of the Scharnhorst. The gunner machinelians thought they would never get out of the flak. Squadron Leader J. S. Dinsdale of Tekai also participated.—P.A.