STRONG ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 168, 19 July 1941, Page 5

STRONG ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS

i COASTAL R.A.F. PLANES BEAUFORT BOMBERS DO GOOD WORK (Recd. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, July 17. Details of a strong attack by R.A.F. Coastal Command planes on enemy [ shipping last night, in the course of ; which nearly 10,000 tons of enemy -hipping was almost certainly sunk, ore given by the Air Ministry News Service. A tanker of 6000 tons supply ship [ and one of 3500 tons were hit and almost certainly sunk. Two more [ supply ships, each of 2000 tons, were ; straddled with sticks of bombs and ; probably damaged. [ A torpedo-carrying Beaufort air- [ craft attacked a tanker on the French [ coast in the English Channel. She [ had five flak ships spread around her. i The Beauforts found the convoy just jas daylight was fading. There was Ino cloud cover. The fire put up by i the escort ships was intense and all | the Beauforts came back with holes in them, but no serious damage was done and there were no casualties. The aircraft launched torpedoes from close range. One was seen to strike the tanker near the foremast and a column of smoke sprang into the air. The supply ship of 3500 tons was found at the entrance to a fjord north of Bergen, by a Hudson bomber patrolling the Norwegian coast. The squadron-leader piloting the aircraft first saw the ship's wake. When the i ! ship was making out to sea he dived to a height which just enabled him to clear the top of the ship's masts, ; [ and released a stick of heavy bombs, I with slightly delayed action. [ “I saw a bomb burst on the ship,” i the rear gunner reported. "Immediately there was a violent explosion I | from the after hold and fla: I?s shot up.” The crew of the Hudson, however, : saw the second bomb enter the water [ so close to the side of the vessel that it must have done more severe dam- i age. They think it may have acted ' like a torpedo and holed the ship below the water. When the A.A. fire died down the Hudson returned to the ship and saw her enveloped in flames and down at the stern. As the aircraft flew away the ship was well on fire and travelling in circles. The second force of Beauforts attacked two 2000-ton supply ships which wore anchored 150 yards apart at St. Nazai re. Several sticks of ' bombs were laid across the position I from low level, but fierce opposition prevented our crews from observing the exact result. Two bombs of one Stick however, were seen to strike the water directly between the ships. - 8.0.W