CAPTURE OF BOULOGNE

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22459, 21 September 1944, Page 5

CAPTURE OF BOULOGNE

GRIM SCENE OF DESTRUCTION APPALLING LITTER OF WAR (Received Sept. 21, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20 Boulogne is in Allied hands. Enemy defences are still holding out southeast of the town and Allied forces .inside are subject to shelling, says a iEritish United Press correspondent. A Times correspondent says Canadian infantry and British and Canadian armour entering Boulogne were confronted by a grim scene of desolation. There was no uproarious welcome. Only half a dozen civilians were seen in two hours. The Germans drove out the civil population two or three days before the Canadian assault. They were given only a few hours’ notice to vacate. Progress into the town was slow because all the roads and even farm tracks were heavily mined and booby-trapped. Mont Lambert bore terrible evidence of the ferocity and accuracy of the Royal Air Force bombing and artillery shelling. Many pillboxes were reduced to rubble and twisted wire. The perimeter defences were blasted to pieces. Bodies of men and horses were everywhere. The enemy’s escape route was blocked by several big craters, into some of which tanks had fallen. Cars and lorries were thrown in all directions. The cathedral of Notre Dame at first glance appeared undamaged but a great hole can be seen in the roof above the altar. Huge pieces of masonry litter the floor.

The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent says the reduction of the Eoulogne fortress was one of the toughest jobs of the war. The area contains probably the most strongly defended strip of coast in Europe. Reconnaissance before the attack showed that the Germans had built concrete forts 10 and 15 feet thick, from which any but the heaviest shells bounced. Attempt at Evacuation Details of the fortnight’s land, sea and air battles for Boulogne revealed that the Germans were shelled by big guns from the English coast, Canadian artillery from France, little ships from the sea and Allied planes from the air. The British coastal guns had success when the evacuation of Boulogne by sea was attempted on September 1. Two groups of enemy shipping assembled outside Boulogne and moved north to Cap Gris Nez. The Dover artillery opened up with every available gun against the leading group, in which were most of the larger vessels. The action continued until light naval forces attacked, when fire was switched to the second group of vessels. Enemy batteries opened fire against the British guns. All the enemy shipping passed out cf range of the British guns but the action against the enemy batteries continued.

Five vessels were sunk from the first enemy group and six of various sizes from the second. British guns fired approximately 220 rounds and the enemy fired 120.