Evening star., 1942-04-22
Commands Raid French Coast
Near BouIogne, Driving Back
Nozi Guards in Two-Hour Stoy
Attackers Gother
Military Doto,
Test Defenses
n the Associated Press.


LONDON, April %. - British
Commandos raided the German
held French coast near Boulogne
this morning. drove back the
Germans guarding the coast and
withdrew after two hours, British
combined operations headquar-
ters announced.
In the first combined operations
raid since the attack on st. Nazaire,
March %. the Commands ranged
throughout the French coastal re-
gion, testing the German defenses
and collecting military information,
the announcement said.
Trawler Reported Damaged.
A naval force accompanying the
Commandos was said to have dam
aged a German trawler which at
tempted to intercept the striking
force. A second trawler was re-
ported set afire.
Combined operations headquarters
said British casualties were very
light"
The thunder of a heavy distant
cannonade which rumbled through
the thick mist over the Strait OF
Dover before daybreak was the
first intimation of the new blow
against the German forces guarding
their captured coasts.
Lookouts along the Kent coast OF
England said the firing seemed to
come from the direction of Bou-
logne, but nothing could be seen.
Text OF Communique.
The combined headquarters COM
munique follows:
In the early hours of April %
q small reconnaissance raid was
carried out on the French coast near
Boulogne.
German troops holding this part
of the coast were driven back before
the advance Of our troops.
"A British patrol penetrated the
coastal defenses and withdrew after
two hours. Casualties were very
light.
"A naval force accompanying this
reconnaissance engaged armed en-
emy trawlers. One German trawler
was severely damaged and another
was left on fire.
NO British ships were damaged in
this engagement and naval casual
ties were slight"
Tried to Knock Out Base.
In their hazardous raid of March
rs the Commandos, later disclosed
to have been placed under the di-
rection of Lord Louis Montbatten.
cousin of King George. combined
land, sea and air forces in an
attempt to knock out the important
Nazi U-boat base at st. Nazaire.
The first big-scale Commando raid
on the coast of France was made
Just, one month earlier. when para
chutists and sea-borne infantry
slasfed into German-guarde ter
ritory in a destructive raid on a
German radio detector post which
had been Spotting r. A. F. flights
over the continent.
That time the striking force
landed on the coast at Bruneval,
II miles north of lie Havre, battered
O way through Nazi-manned coastal
defenses and joined parachutists
who had dropped a half-mile or
more inland.
Nazis Map Defense Measures
Meanwhile, Field Marshal Gerd
von Runstedt, commander of Ger
man forces in Occupied France, was
reported from Stockholm to have
held important military discussions
In the Netherlands, presumably
mapping defense measures TO be
taken in case of an Allied invasion
of France.
Aneta, Netherlands news agency
said that during his visit to Hol-
land Marshal Won RunStedt in
Spected new coastal defenses.
Earlier today the Ministry of Eco
nomic Warfare said the Germans
fearful OF commando forays, had
earmarked more than half the
French cement production for use
in new defense systems along the
German-held French coast. The
ministry said Frances annual ce-
ment production is about $500 00C
tons.
Chute Troops Sent TO France.
A division of German parachute
troops has been sent TO Occupied
France to reinforce the garrison
there. the Daily Express military
correspondent, Morely Richards
wrote yesterday. adding there were
Unconfirmed reports that Field Mar
shsl Won RunStedt's forces in France
and the Low Countries would be re-
inforced with from 10 to IS divisions
Marshal Won RunStedts strength
thus would be raised 10 about a mil.
lion men, Mr.. Richards said.
Pointing out that these might bt
~enemy-inspired rJmorS," Mr.. Rich.
ards said it nevertheless was def
mite that units OF air-borne troop.
have turned up in Occupied France
and that there is evidence of trooI
movements westward across Ger
many