AERIAL ATTACK IN NORWAY

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 5

AERIAL ATTACK IN NORWAY

BOMBING OF SUPPLY SHIPS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO AIRFIELDS (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, June 13. Flying “blind” through rain and low clouds and heavy mist, aircraft of the Coastal Command attacked the Vaernes aerodrome in Norway and German supply ships near Bergen early this morning. r Hie bombers dived 4000 feet on to the Vaernes aerodrome. The conditions were difficult because of rain but as there is now almost 24 hours of daylight in Norway the pilots were able to see their bombs blow great holes in the runways and to disable Nazi aircraft parked there. Two bombs struck the German airmen’s barracks. The men rushed out and one ‘ British aircraft scattered them with machine-gun bullets. Supply ships near Bergen were attacked by successive waves of bombers. Here the weather was even worse. The harbour and the roadsteads were almost invisible. The pilots had flown blind across the North Sea. Now they had to do what amounted almost to blind bombing and some could see only the flashes of their incendiary bombs through the mist and fog. But the navigators had brought them accurately on to their targets and many fires were started with the result that the burning had grown in fury as the aircraft turned for home. One wave of attackers saw incendiary bombs start fires among the ships at anchor. One pilot was met by heavy anti-aircraft fire when he bombed an enemy battery. When he left the guns were silent and two big fires were burning. Other aircraft bombed a fort near Bergen and started fierce fires. Two German destroyers were also bombed by Coastal Command aircraft on North Sea patrol but in the thick mist they could not see the result of their attack.

WORKERS’ HOLIDAYS CANCELLED (British Official Wireless) (Received June 14, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 13. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, Mr R. Assheton, announced in the House of Commons that the cancellation of workers’ holidays, involving complete stoppages, would just continue. The August Bank Holiday would be cancelled under the Defence Regulations. Where practicable holidays should be taken in rotation and spread over a period of months without interfering with urgent war requirements or transport or other essential services. Those spending holidays in the country are urged to offer help on the land. NAZI ORGANIZATIONS DISSOLVED (Received June 14,10.30 p.m.) MONTEVIDEO, June 13. The German Minister, Dr Langman, has informed the Foreign Office that he is dissolving Nazi organizations in Uruguay and also the German Workers’ Union as a result of anti-Nazi legislation and demonstrations. CANADIAN MUNITIONS FOR BRITAIN (British Official Wireless) (Received June 14, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 13. According to an Ottawa Press report the acting Defence Minister of Canada stated in the House of Commons that all available rifles and ammunition in Canada have been placed at the disposal of Britain. TEMPORARY GRAVE OF “COBBER” KAIN SIMPLE FUNERAL BESIDE AIRFIELD LONDON, June 13. The British United Press correspondent with the Royal Air Force in France says that the war’s most famous air ace, Flying Officer J. E. “Cobber” Kain, hero of a 100 air battles, lies beneath a simple wooden cross beside the airfield from which he began his many brilliant exploits. Both the cross and the grave are only temporary. The body of the young hero whose death the whole Royal Air Force mourns, will be moved to a war cemetery after the war. His funeral was very simple. Only a few comrades were present. The others were aloft, battling with the enemy.