TELEGRAM FR0M LONDON DATED AUGUST 29th, 1941 British submarine reports sinking of laden 2,000 ton merchant ship off North West Sicily on August 20th and obtaining two torpedo hits on Italian fleet oiler in same area on August 27th. H.M.S. Phoebe hit by aircraft torpedo north of Bardia p.m. August 27th has returned to harbor 12 knots. H.M.S. Hawkins on arrival at Simonstown on August 26th had been 47 days at sea out of 2. Imports into Great Britain in convoy for week ending August 23rd totaled 1,373,683 tons. Highest weekly figure during past 12 months. 3. August 28th Blenheims with fighter aircraft made low-level attack on Rotterdam docks. Direct hits on one merchant vessel of 8 to l0 thousand tons and on another of 8 thousand tons; other vessels and ships under construction attacked with unobserved results and one aircraft claimed direct hit on sheds in docks. Heavy anti-aircraft opposition, 7 -Blenheims, 5 fighters mi 4. Night August 28th-29th 150 aircraft dispatched to targets including Duisburg railway centers and searchlights 0stend and Dunkirk, 9 missing, at Duisburg concentration Flak and searchlights was the biggest experienced but good results obtained. Direct hits claimed on railway station and huge explosion close to it. Very large fires also started. 5. Middle East August 26th/27th light attacks by Wellington's on Benghazi harbor and by Maryland's on tank concentrations 45 miles east of Tobruk. Fighters protecting shipping shot down 3 German fighters; one Hurricane is missing. 6. August 27th/28th our torpedo bombers scored hit on 8,000 tons merchant vessel near Lampedus and on August 28th Blenheims over Iomian Sea made 8 hits on 5,000 tons merchant vessel last seen stationary and down by the stern; 1 hit obtained on another ship. |