Evening star., 1940-12-21
Peaks Near VoIono Lighted
By Fires British Shells Set
100 One-Ton Explosives Are Dropped
On Docks, Ships, Bases and Encumpments

II Duce'S battered Albanian leglOnS
A wide path of flaming destruction
was apparent. A reddish glow crept
over the tops of 2,0O0-feet high
mountains showing the caliber of the
raging fires started by the big naval
guns.
The British ships moved through
the unrestricted Straits of o.
ranto between Italy's heel and the
Albanian coastline like huge shad-
ows Keeping the Albanian coast in
sight the ships swept into broadside
firing positions off Valona.
| At this time. early Thursday
morning, shivering with cold,
clambered up the steel ladders from
the battleships wardroom to the
control tower.
Through narrow Sits in the steel
tower, 1 saw the long. massive gray
barrels of the l5-inch guns slowly
rear their muzzles skyward from the
giant turrets.
The commander. through speak
ing tube. gave final instructions. say
ing the guns were to open fire in 10
minutes
Girded for Conclusion.
Those minutes ticked off like
eternity. Looking across the barrels
of the guns that were less than IS
feet away and poised for action, I
mentally girded myself for the tre-
mendous conclusion that I knew
must come with detonation of the
first ton of bricks
White and red lights flashed on
the fire control indicator. designating
the turrets that were to open the
bombardment
Then came the signal: open
fire!" A bell sounded lightly.
grasped rung of a steel ladder.
took a deep breath and ducked be-
low the level of the vision Sits.
A second later there was a ter
rife burst of fire. Sheets of yellow
flame licked back from the muzzles
of the guns and seemed to pour
through the Sits in the tower.
Again the bell sounded. Again l
ducked, and two guns fired almost
simultaneously. The binding glare
and clouds of yellowish smoke swept
into my face. The rapid succession
Of the blasts made me feel as if
my head hung by thread.
Coast Disappears in Fire.
Guns of other battle feet units
rOared with great flashes of fire,
wiping everything else from my
vision. Even the Albanian coast
disappeared in the burst of fire.
Swiftly. scores of shells hurtled
through the air. each carrying more
than 1000 pounds of destruction into
Valona's naval and military concen-
trations.
The Italian shore batteries of H.
inch guns remained silent during
the bombardment, leading to the be-
lief the Italians had been taken so
by surprise that they could not fire,
possibly not being able even to de-
termine the ships positions.
For IL minutes the battle feet
pumped out shells with a Niagara
hAC 1odl lCtCi dISU 1Ol lllllCS
along the Albanian coast.
Then, over the speaking tube,
came voice like that of railroad
conductor unintelligible, but it
meant cease firing"
The big guns were lowered. but the
crews of the 6-inch guns stood by,
waiting tensely for any reply from
the Italians ashore so they could
answer in turn.
Ships Move Southwark.
The British ships, like huge float
ing islands, moved slowly southwark
Then the Italian shore batteries
fired few starshells. vainly trying
to locate their attackers. The long
burning starshells, bursting high in
the sky. drifted lazily to the surface
of the sea hundreds of yards away
from the ships
The Italians fired several more
rounds which came closer, but all
were too distant to illuminate the
battle fleet.
AS the reddish glow of the fires
which had been started at Valona
crept over the snow-capped AL
banian mountains, a youthful mid
shipman in the battleship's top con-
troll tower happily carolled, "One
Night of Love-"
The battlefleet cruised southwark
out of the Straits of Otranto and
into the Ioanian Sea. Not even an
Italian bombing plane appeared to
attempt attack.
The battle fleet cruised southwark
the bombardment, posted bulletin
with the notation: The objective
to discomfort the Italians"