RAID ON RHODES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 66, 19 March 1942, Page 5

RAID ON RHODES

EYE-WITNISS account SHIPS REACH SAFETY Rugby. March 17. The naval and air attack on the Island of Rhodes struck blows at important objectives which will materially lessen the usefulness of the island stronghold. This opinion was expressed by a news agency representative who was the only British correspondent to witness Saturday night’s operations. “As I write this dispatch aboard a 1 British warship,” he said, “Lhe fleet is slipping away in darkness, leaving the bewildered defenders still firing at aircraft which collaborated with us. Through the smoke screen we are laying I can see fires burning on the island. Even after the ships began pouring shells at the targets on shore, the gunners continued firing at the planes and at flares which they dropped, apparently mistaking the bombardment for a bombarding raid. Ten minutes had passed before they fully realised what was happening. Then the batteries opened up and shells came whistling over us, but by then, aided by the glare of flares and star-shells, we had hit important establishments in the town of Rhodes and also the E-boat bases and harbour installations. There were believed to be a number of flying-boats in the harbour. “Perfect co-ordination between the Navy and the R.A.F. was a feature of this combined operation. We sailed early, and it was not until late in the afternoon, when the captain made the announcement over the ship’s loud-speaker, that we knew why we had put to sea. To reach our objectives we had to sail well into the narrow enemy waters of Rhodes or between Rhodes anti Turkey. “The captain explained that aircraft would drop flares and stay for a naval bombardment, but all the first day and most of the night we bowled along at hivh speed. As we came abreast of Rhodes we slowed down so as to negotiate minefields. Standing on the bridge. I could see the Turkish mainland, looming through the dark, starry night, on our right across calm water. Dropping of Flares. “Suddenly an eerie glow to my left told me that aircraft were dropping flares before bombing Rhodes airfield. Tracer shells and bullets rocketed skywards from the ground defences. Punctually, we established communication with the aircraft and the atmosphere became tense as we crept towards the shore. Around me on the bridge dark figures, ghostlike in white flash helmets and long white gauntlets, made final adjustments to the instruments or spoke quiet orders down the voice-pipes. The dim purple and green glowing dials of the instruments were the only pin-points of light anywhere. Then flares dropped bv aircraft began floating down on Rhodes town. Red, white, and green tracer bullets shot up to meet them, but failed to hit the flares or the planes. “Nearer and nearer we crept, and I wondered how long it would be before we were sighted and fired at. When we were only four miles from the town one of the ships began firing star shells, which floated down over the target. In the flare I could easily make it out. I could also see streets and’ houses in Rhodes, and felt uneasily certain that we must be obvious to the shore batteries, but if we were, the defenders were so surprised that we were able to hurl the greater part of our quota of shells into the target area before they replied. Shattering Broadside. “Still the anti-aircraft gunners were sending out tracers in desperate and unsuccessful attempts to put out the flares, which floated to the ground, where they continued burning brightly for a considerable time, lighting up the surroundings with fierce glare. I could also see anti-aircraft shells bursting among the clouds. “Minutes passed, and then, between the shattering crashes of our broadside, we heard the air lorn by shells from shore batteries which were :n--tended for us but splashed in the water. They had not our range. “Twenty minutes after the action began the fleet was steaming away, having delivered several hundreds of shells weighing 40,0001 b at the targets. Throughout the trip I hail not taken off my clothes or my lifebelt, and had had practically no sleep, but this is the ordinary life of the hard-worked Navy today.”—B.O.M.