Evening star., 1940-06-26

government has definitely decid-
ed not to enter the war.
By the Associated Press
LONDON, June 26.-British land
ing parties actually have stabbed
into the continental coastline front
behind which Germany is preparing
for the battle of Britain, it was re-
ported today and the sorties mark
"a new phase of aggressive action"
Casualties were inflicted on Ger
man troops yesterday by naval and
military raiders, it was announced,
and some of the German dead fell
into British hands, along with
much useful information.
The clashes between the heavily
armed British raiders, supported by
the Royal Air Force, and their Nazi
foemen appeared to herald a far
flung guerrilla campaign to harass
German coastal bases and obtain
information on preparations for the
invasion of Britain.
Patrolling Burden on Nazis.
Reuters, British news agency.
limited at this in commenting on the
strategic position of the Germans in
the light of the raids-the German
burden OF patrolling and placing
thousands of men on the European
shores, from Norway to the Spanish
coast ito ward off the risk of raids
b,-L
sea power"
Contributing to Germanys dis
advantage, Reuters said, was the
depletion of German naval forces
IN past engagements with the Allies
and the wrecking of defensive works
and harbor establishments by the
British and French before they were
yielded to the Nazis.
Inc British forays were described
as successful reconnaissances of
| enemy coastlines."
Neutral military observers ex-
pressed belief that the coastal raids
by British Expeditionary Force
shock troops might become so active
as to keep the German army di-
verted from invasion of Britain,
Doubt Large Scale Thrust.
No one regards the raids as pre-
hmlnary to large-scale thrust
against the German army which
now hold North Sea, channel and
Atlantic coastlines. But neutral
sources emphasize the damage which
the r. A. F. and the shock troops
could do in repeated attacks.
British observers said it was
quite possible that the first raid
ing parties included demolition
groups especially schooled in de-
struction of supply depots. docks
and quays.
Our parties may have attacked
one of the numerous submarine
bases which the Germans have con-
! structed in Belgium, as they did in
the last war" said a naval inform
ant.
Another commented that "the
Germans obviously are resting the
crack troops who fought steadily for
almost month"
Little Detail on Raids.
The announcement of the raids
gave but scant detail
Landings were effected at
number of points and contact made
with German troops" the Min
istry of Information said
Casualties were inflicted and
some enemy dead fell into our
hands. Much useful information
was obtained Our forces suffered
no casualties"
These thrusts into the German
camp-the precise spots we're not
glyen-were made while British and
/ German air forces clashed in the
expanding struggle in the skies
which is seen as prelude to the
| actual battle of Britain.
Official sources, besieged with re-
quests for some explanation of the
landings, refused further to identify
the raiders or even hint in what
country they had landed.
Onslaught on Isles.
The aerial conflict brought another
onslaught on the British Isles today
and British reports of a victory in
battle of planes and bombardment
of German n-occupied air bases in
Norway and the Netherlands.
Scotland bore the brunt of Ger
many's fifth midnight dawn at
tack in eight days. At least four
English and Scottish civilians were
killed and at least five of the raiders
shot down. The attack covered a
wide area of England, Scotland and
Wales.
The Ministry of Home Security
announced the four deaths and in
jury to l3 persons. Previous un-
official reports had indicated there
were six fatalities.
mo serious damage was caused"
said the Home Ministry.
Three Shot Down Off France,
The Air Ministry announced that
three planes of a much larger" Ger
man formation of II Messerschmitt
fighting planes were shot down by a
British patrol yesterday while recon-
nolrering Nazi air fields near the
French coast. Several other Mes
serschmitts were hit. The British
declared they lost no planes.
Another unit of the Royal Air
Force made daylight attack yes
terday on an airdrome at Waal-
haven, near Rotterdam, in the Meth
erlands, and still another raided an
airdrome at Bomoen, near Bergen,
Norway.
(The British mentioned no
raids on Germany proper, but the
| (See InNDOM pana IA