SMALL CONVOY DAMAGED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 16 August 1944, Page 5

SMALL CONVOY DAMAGED

PURSUIT BY BRITISH NAVAL FORCES

(Rec. 10.10 a.m.) Rugby, August 15. “In the course of three engagements early In the morning, a British naval force under the commander of Captain W. W. Davis, R.N., in the cruiser Mauritius, pursued, engaged and severely damaged several enemy vessels in the vicinity of the enemy-occupied naval base of La Rochelle,” states an Admiralty communique. “First contact with the enemy was made during the hours of darkness, when the British ships engaged a small convoy, escorted by one destroyer and a minesweeper, which were proceeding south towards the entrance to La Pallice roads. In the course of a running fight which ended inside the north entrance to La Pallice British ships obtained repeated hits on the enemy. One supply vessel was driven ashore in flames and left in a sinking condition, a second supply ship was set on fire and hits were also observed on the enemy destroyer which escaped at speed in the darkness. “The British ships sustained neither casualties nor damage. In addition to the Mauritius, ships taking part in this action were the destroyers Ursa and Iroqouis.”