BOMBED TIRPITZ

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1944, Page 31

BOMBED TIRPITZ

OUT OF ACTION FOR MONTHS AT LEAST SIXTEEN DIRECT HITS SOME BY ARMOUR-PIERCING BOMBS. MAGAZINE APPARENTLY EXPLODED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) ' ’ LONDON, April 7. A correspond ent, with the Home Fleet says that more than 40 of the new Barracudas of the Fleet Air Arm scored at least 16 direct hits on the German battleship Tirpitz when, she was attacked in the fiord in northern Norway. A few were by heavy armourpiercing bombs, one of which •is believed to have hit the magazine. A tremendous explosion followed.

Some of the planes attacked at masthead height, and later smoke rose to over 3000 f. Experts believe the Tirpitz will be out of action for months, and perhaps till the end of the war. The attack was the largest undertaken by the Fleet Air Arm. NAVAL REMNANTS GERMANY’S DIMINISHED FLEET. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 6, Since the bombing attack on the battleship Tirpitz, the condition and disposition of the German high seas fleet are now stated to be as follows: — In Norway: The disabled Tirpitz, one heavy cruiser and seven destroyers. Heligoland and Baltic Sea: One totally disabled battle-cruiser, two pocket battleship (one of which is repairing damage), one disabled heavy cruiser, four six-inch gun cruiser (one of nich is a training ship), and 12 destroyers of various classes. Bay of Biscay: Eight Narvik class and Ebling class destroyers.