Evening star., 1941-11-02
R. A. F. Planes Leave
Fire and Wreckage
In France, Reich
Bombs and Torpedoes
Are Ruined on Axis
Vessels in Ruids

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. Nov. 1.-R A. F.. pilots,
ranging up and down Britain's
blockade front from Norway to the
Bay OF Biscay last night and today,
rained bombs and torpeGoes into II
or II Axis ships and left fire and
wreckage in France and Germany,
Air Ministry reports said.
In one frenzied attack on con-
voy. an r. A. F. squadron leader
swept down the middle of a row of
ships to pick out the heaviest loaded
one and dump his bombs on its
deck, it was said. A tremendous
explosion" followed and flames
leaped 500 feet in the air, high above
his speeding plane, the ministry re-
ported.
A single German raider dropped
bombs on one London district to-
night after the city heard its first
air raid alarm since July q. Lon
dons ground defenses were also in
action for the first time in several
weeks.
Other raiders were reported over
northwest England. 1t was an
nounced that three German bombers
were destroyed over England. AS
the all clear sounded in London re-
ports came that bombs had fallen
in the Liverpool area, where raiders
have been active for some time.
British Strike in France.
In France this afternoon British
fighters attacked a railroad station,
freight trains, factories and two
guard ships of the coast defenses,
the ministry reported, without los
ing single plane.
Rome dispatches revealed that
still other r. A. F. flyers, presum-
ably from the Near East command,
bombed Naples and the Sicilien
cities of Licata and Palermo again
The attacks on Atlantic shipping
and over Northern Germany last
night and early today were made.
the ministry said, in the face of
wintry rains and fog. Ship after
ship, caught in secluded anchorage
or steaning for safety. was bombed
and raked with machine gun fire.
Bomb hits were reported made on
at least II of them and a 18th
vessel was almost certainly tor
pedoed"
A recently formed Canadian
squadron flying United States
built Lockheed Hudson bombers was
credited with the lions share of
destruction, disabling at least six
large and medium sized German
supply ships.
Airmen, unable to trace through
the mists the exact course of the
bombs dropped on Hamburg and
Bremen, reported the dull, red glow
of fires.
Dunkerque and Boulogne also
were bombed last night and today
a mile-long formation of British
planes swept low across the Straits
of Dover toward Calais and Bou-
logne. Some of them flew so low
they kicked up spray with the wash
of their propellers.
Nazis Bombard Dover.
NO plUptltS udIHdSe WAS TepOTte
in Dover and housewives went
about their Saturday morning mar
keting undisturbed.
German fighters were credited
by the ministry with bringing down
six British bombers.
At least four German occupied |
ports of Brittany were hammered
by the R. A. F-Lorient, La Pallice. |
Saint Nazaire and Nantes. Besides
bombs the flyers threw over bundles
of propaganda leaflets at Nantes, |
scene of the recent reprisai Staying
of so French hostages and where
so more are held under the Damo-
clean sword of a German reprieve.
Among the ships sunk by the R.
A. F. were said to be q large tanker,
another large supply ship and an
escorting warship
"A storm of siellfire" from one
large ship attacked smashed the
glass nose of one of the Hudson
bombers and put one of its en-
gines out of action, it was said. |
but the pilot "nursed" it safely back
to the airdrome.