Evening star., 1940-04-11
By the Associated Press,

battle with the small means ct their
disposal came In q Reuters report
that the Norwegian destroyer Aeser
sank = German transport OF
Stavanger yesterday and was In turn
sunk by bombing planes. Another
Of the German transport losses was
laid to q mine OF the west coast Of
Sweden.
Norwegian coastal guns were
credited with helping the British
Jam their way through Oslo Fjord.
These southern batteries were ad-
mitted by the Germans yesterday
to have caused destruction Of the
l0.000-ton heavy cruiser Bluecher
and the 6,000- ton cruiser karlsruhe.
Battle RACES Through Night.
Stockholm reports said the great
battle Of the Skagerrak ragged
throughout the night, with the rum
BILE Of cannon shaking houses on
the Swedish shore while search
lights swept the skies till dawn
dimmed them.
Fishermen from Goteborg, Swed-
en-, set out to hunt survivors and to
gather up floating bodies Of the
uncounted dead.
Naval observers emphasized the
achievement of British warships in
sweeping through new-laid German
mine fields in the Skagerrak to
reach the narrow Kattegat pathway
to the Baltic Sea.
This Is q direct blow at Germany's
lifeline for reinforcements Of her
invading troops. and mastery Of
the strait by Britain might well
mean the salvation of Norway.
Naxi B0mbers Damaged.
Meanwhile, Britain omcially an
nounced that heavy damage was
inflicted on German bombers which
yesterday raided convoy OIL Scot
land and made the most murder
Gus" attack yet on oft-bombed
Scapa Flow and other places In
the Orkney Islands.
Amplifying an. earlier commu-
nique, the Air Ministry said seven
Of the German planes raiding the
Orkneys and the convoy we're shot
down and two were SO badly dam
aged that they probably failed to
return home. asas
In all, Germany has lost 10 pllsAes
since Sunday, while the British have
lost 6, it declared.
The communique said:
.Since the early morning of 6,an-
da5, April 7. all pperational 6t6n-
mands Of the Royal Air Force have
been intensively engaged In op-
erations against the enemy.
I'm addition to normal security
and convoy protection patrols recon-
naissance aircraft have maintained
close watch over the North Sea
on the Norwegian coast and on
German naval bases, with the result
that much valuable informa ton has
been made available to our naval
and air forces engaged with the
enemy.
. Attack on Horns Reef.
"On Sunday bombing attack
was launched against q strong en-
emy naval force of Horns Rect
e Danish promontory Just north of
Esbjerg).
From dawn on Monday through
out the day extensive reconnais-
sances were carried out. In the eve
ming an enemy attack on Scapa
Flow was beaten of, five German
bombers being shot down by cur
fighters.
Throughout Tuesday our air
craft were engaged In locating and
reporting the position Of enemy war.
ships In Norwegian waters and in
the evening q bomber attack in
force was delivered on a German
cruiser lying of Bergen.
Subsequent reconnaissance indi-
Gates that this ship was sunk.
Aerodromes Reconnoitered.
"On Wednesday, British long
range fighters reconnoitered Norwe-
gian aerodromes which had been
occupied by the enemy. In spite Of
heavy anti-aircraft fire, low-flying
attacks were delivered, resulting in
destruction Of at least three aircraft.
During the evening. repeated but
abortive attacks on Scapa Flow
and q convoy were successfully
driven on. -Four German bombers
were shot down by our fighters and
three by anti-aircraft gunfire while
Ftwo more were 20 damaged as to
make their return extremely doubt
full. @
I'm the course of these operations
we have lost two flying boats, one
reconnaissance aircraft and three
bombers. No fighters have been lost.
During the same period, 10 Ger
man aircraft are confirmed as hav-
ing been destroyed"
Claim 65 Planes Shot Down.
Unofhcially the British claim that
total Of IS German planes have
been shot down In raids en- Britain
or OF its coasts since the war
started.
Spectators said two towns in the
Orkneys were machine-gunned as
well as bombed, but the only listed
casualty was ono slishtly- y-wounded
service man.
The many German bombs fell
miles wide" Of warships but splash
ed near some trawlers, . witness
said.
Another British communique said
that two long-range British planes
Wednesday afternoon made = diving
attack on Z Norwegian airport, de-
stroying one German plane, damAg-
ing two others and burning q fuel
tank. Returning home, the same
planes sighted and silenced large
German bomber.
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