DAYLIGHT FORAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23966, 16 May 1941, Page 10

DAYLIGHT FORAYS

HELIGOLAND ATTACK J SEVERAL SHIPS SUNK TBENCH AND DUTCH COASTS ENEMY BASES RAIDED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, May U

Royal Air Force bombers sank or damaged several ships off the French and Dutch coasts in daylight on Tuesday in addition to raiding Heligoland. - A 12,000-ton enemy supply ship was set on fire at St. Nazaire.

An Air Ministry communique describing the attack on Heligoland, says bombs were dropped on jetties and buildings, causing a number of tires. Machine-gun attacks were also made from a very low level on the barracks, and gun positions were raked. The operation was completed before the ground defences could offer any etfeetive opposition. One of our aircraft is reported missing.

"Perfect" Raid The Air Ministry news service states that. . our aircraft dropped sticks of high explosives at Heligoland. Columns of smoke, ;rriix6d with the dust and debris of shattered buildings, rose immediately and spread over the ground to obscure the cliffs. The pilot who led the attack said:—

"It was a perfect theoretical raid carried out in practice. We came in at exactly the right spot after more than two .hours' flying. Below us we saw the targets as we had seen them in photographs in the briefing room." During the attack the front and reargunners poured bullets into the naval barracks, and a German flying-boat which appeared above the British aircraft was also machine-gunned. Concerning the attack on St. Nazaire a communique reports that doekside buildings were, damaged and an enemy supply ship hit amidships and set on fire, Another supply ship of about 2000 tons was encountered off Ushant. It was hit and left sinking. Two of our aircraft are missing from the attack on St. Nazaire. -.Attack on Ostond ;

The Ostehd aerodrome was attacked by Royal Air Force fighters about dawn on Tuesday. One pair of Hurricanes swept across the aerodrome at a height of 100 feet. The squadron-leader tired a short burst at a large hangar arid saw a brilliant red explosion. An Australian pilot-officer followed closely, and fired two, bursts at a barrack block and hangars. Another pair of .Hurricanes, flying low over .the Belgian coast, fired at gun posts between the aerodrome and the sea. They silenced several and caused casualties -to the crews.

Our fighters flew through intense anti-aircraft fire, but suffered no damage and returned safely. An enemy ship in an escorted convoy was torpedoed by a British aircraft off? the Dutch coast.