Of Smoke
After Hitler Doorstep Raid
GERMANS TAKEN ONLY MINOR
COMPLETELY ISSUES BY SURPRISE
`(By Reuter's Special Correspondent with the Home Fleet on board a Warship)
HERE IS THE FIRST AND ONLY EYE-WIT- NESS ACCOUNT OF THE DARING AND CON- SPICUOUSLY SUCCESSFUL RAID BY BRI- TISH NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES ON GERMAN OBJECTIVES ON THE NORWEGIAN COAST ON TUESDAY.
As we steam away from the scene of operations, great pillars of smoke and flame, rising against and dwarfing the snow-covered mountains which drop sheer into the sea along this part of the fjord leading to Narvik, testify to the effective destructiveness of the raid.
One dense black column reaches, naval officer and six ratings were! tu » height of 6,000 feet while | killed.
another envelopes the mounti ins The British forer suffered 119 for miles in a thick, foglike nall.[casualty or loss.
REMAINING
SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Mr. Matsuoka, Japan's Foreign Minister, visited the French Embassy at 5 p.m. yesterday to confer with the French Ambas- sador, M. Arsene Henri,] regarding the Indo- China-Thailand negotia-
tions.
The talks were resumed at 8 pm, at Mr. Matsuosa's residenc and ended at 8.30 pm when the French Ambassador was observed to leave with a pleased expres- Mom on his face. -
It was learned from usually Beliable sources in Tokyo last mput that Vichy has agreed to accept the main points in the Japanese proposals, and that pro- longation of the negotiations con- eern nily some minor ISSUES cased Iv the Vichy Government.
International News Service.
The operation took the Ger- In addition to the prisoners, a mans completely by surprise, For houre the British warships were on "Hitler's doorstep" but no attemot was made to inter. fere with them,
considerable number of Norwe-¦there had time to discover what gian volunteers for the Navy were was happening. brought back.
It may be considered as a fur- ther sign that on land as well at sea and in the air, Britain has now passed from the defensive to the offensive in Europe.
Factories Destroyed
There was satisfaction 11: the completion of their task, which in- cluded the destruction of factories and shipping and the taking of German and Quislingite prisoners.
In the four principal Ashing ports of the Lofoten Islands, fish oil factories and a power station were destroyed and all oil storage tanks
burned.
Nine German merchant ships,1 a Norwegian ship and an armed German trawler, totalling 18,000 tons, were sunk.
Two hundred and fifteen Ger- mans and 10 Quislingites were taken prisoner while one German
Trained Troops
A number of hand-picked and specially trained troops partici- pated in this first landing on Nor- wegian soil since it was evacuated last year.
So intense was the cold that spray breaking over the boats troze as it fell on them.
Within 10 minutes of landing the troops had taken control of the telegraph station, post office and police station.
Next they turned their attention to the oil, cod-liver oil and cod a number of fishing factories, known to be ratings and working for the Germans, and soon six of these had been des- troyed.
With them were Norwegian
naval guides.
Fine weather favoured the operation, which was marked by perfect organisation and mutual understanding on the part of both Navy and Army.
before dawn and split up to go to We arrived at the area shortly the various objectives, which were quickly located, while warships kept guard.
Rapid Landing
I watched our particular group of troops land and then, led by ship, the boats made rapidly for the landing places before anyone
The English manager of one factory was rescued and brought back to Britain.
Three petrol storage tanks were also destroyed by this group.
Arrival in Britain
Over 200 German prisoners and Quislingites, with some Norwegian loyalists, from Lofoten, arrived at a British port last night.
The Norwegian loyalists were in happy mood.
The Germans and Quislingites were under very strong guard.—- Reuter.
"THE GREAT DICTATOR"
IS HERE!
AIR VICE-MARSHAL BREESE KILL IN AIR CRASH
Air Vice - Marshal Breese has been killed
on active service as a result of a flying ac- cident.
was
TWO LORRY DRIVERS FINED
TWO LORRY-DRIVERS WERK CHARGED BEFORE MAJOR A. N. MACFADYEN, AT THE CEN- TRAL MAGISTRACY THIS MORNING, WITH STEALING EARTH AND STONE DURING TRANSIT FROM THE A.R.P. TUNNEL IN SHING WO BOAD TO NORTH POINT.
Clarke employed
Sub-Inspector W L. said defendants were to transfer earth and stones to be dumped into the harbour at North Point, by Marsman and Com- pany. Air
A special man was posted there to check lands.
Joseph Lau, on duty at 1 pm. on Wednesday, noticed that ac- eused's lorries did not arrive on time, and went along King's Road to investigate. Near the Asiatic Petroleum Company Depot, h? saw first defendant dump earth and stones on a piece of vacant ground in King's Road.
23.
The Vice-Marshal
appointed Officer Commanding No. 18 (Reconnais- sance) Group in Sep- tember, 1938, and was promoted Air Vice-Marshal in July last year. Reuter.
R.A.F. OFFICERS
DECORATED
D.F.C.,
One second bar to the und the D.F.C. are awarded in the Jatest R.A.F. list.
Accuted, Cheng Yun-po, and Chan Shu-hoi, 29, were carria fined $20, or 14 days.
MILROY AGAIN REMANDED
L/Cpl. John Milroy, 24, was re- manded a further week by Mr. D. J. N. Anderson at Kowloon this morning when, with two Chinese, One recipient has taken part in he appeared on three charges of 20 operational flights over Eritrea demanding money with menaces, and Abyssinia, navigating forma- Mr. C. D'Almada will appear for tions over mountainous country Milroy, Mr. C. A. S. Russ for the and Anding new targets in spite two Chinese accused, and Det.- of unreliable maps and adverse Sgt. C. Dowman for the prosecu- weather. British Wireless.
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