1939-12-04 — Page 4

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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 4, 1939...

Britain Begins Fourth Month Of War Dramatically DARING R.A.F. RAID ON HELIGOLAND

NAZI SUBMARINE DESTROYED IN NORTH SEA

London, To-day. MARKING THE COMMENCEMENT of the fourth month of the war, a strong formation of R.A.F. bombing planes yesterday carried out a daring raid on Heligoland, the German naval base and fortress, which guards the entrance to the Kiel Canal.

The official announcement of the Air Ministry

FRENCH STEAMER SUNK

Paris, To-day.

The French steamer Floride of 7,030. tons struck a German mine and was later beached near an unnamed French port.

Two men were killed-Reuter.

claims that the raid was a complete success, that BHUTAN'S direct hits were scored upon German warships MESSAGE with heavy bombs, and that none of the R.A.F. machines failed to return safely.

SHIPS ATTACKED

The attack seems to have taken TWO CRUISERS - AMONG the Germans completely by surprise as only one enemy machine, a Mes- serschmidt fighter, went up to chal. lenge the British planes, and German machine was swiftly

down.

this shot

The RA.F. planes swooped over naval formations in the Heligoland, in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, but they pressed home their attack 'determinedly "and obtained direct hits with heavy bombs."

While this attack was in progress, a British coastal reconnaissance plane, caught a German submarine on the surface in the North Sea, and de- stroyed it with a salvo of bombs be- fore the commander of the U-boat aware of the Impending attack. -Reuter.

was

SEEN FROM 8 MILES

The pilot flying the Coastal Com- mand aircraft was 150 miles from land when he sighted a minute ob- Ject on the horizon eight. miles dis- tant.

With his binoculars he was able to satisfy that it was an enemy sub- marine apparently of the ocean-going type.

So that he might approach un- observed the pilot climbed Into a cloud bank and stalked hie quarry from there.

The U-boat's crew heard the air- craft's engines too late,

DIRECT HIT

London, To-day.

It is learned that two cruisers were among the German warships successfully attacked in the R.A.F. raid on Heligoland.

The cruisers were lying close to a Motilla of six or seven destroy- era.

The squadron feader of the at- tacking force reports that when he ordered the attack, heavy anti- aircraft fire was opened and one British machine fell out of form- tion but was able to regain height and returned home with the others.

There were no casualties among the R.A.F. personnel.

Photographs were taken dur- ing the bombing.

Among the ships upon which direct hits were obtained was one of the cruisers.—Reuter.

HONG KONG YOUTH RESCUED

THE HONG KONG POLICE ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED ON THE SMART WORK IN TRACING AND,

"

OF LOYALTY

London, To-day.

From Bhutan-a small State on the southern slopes of the Himalayas near Tibet-a message has come to the King Emperor accompanied by a silk scarf.

The message is from the Maharaja of Bhutan offering his services and stating that he has instructed the La- mas of all monasteries in his State to perform religious ceremonies in order that victory in war may be assured to the King Emperor.

His Majesty's deep appreciation of this loyal offer has been conveyed to the Maharaja.-British Wireless.

TWO MACAO ARRESTS

Two men, arrested on board a ship at Macao in possession of a large number of watches, were brought back to Hong Kong to-day.

They were arrested on suspicion of complicity in the theft of 67 watches, valued at $5,884.18, from the Sun Company, Des Voeux Road Central. The two men had arrived in Macao from Hong Kong.

One case of diphtheria, five of dysentery and 28 of tuberculosis, re- ported to the Medical Department

The pilot swooped towards his INDIRECTLY, RESCUING CHENG during the week-end. target and released a bomb. Be- CHUNG-FEI, THE 17-YEAR-OLD fore the submarine could fully sub- SON OF A WEALTHY CHINESE merge a direct hit was scored when | BUSINESSMAN, WHO DISAPPEAR- a bomb exploded on the base of the ED ON SEPTEMBER 7. conning tower,

The aircraft remained over the position for five minutes to look for survivors but none were seen.

When the aircraft left a long oval patch of bubbling foaming water.covered the spot where the submarine had been.

The two Cabinet Ministers, Sir Samuel Hoare and Sir Maurice Han- key were visiting R.A.F. Coastal Command Headquarters when the wireless message was received from the aircraft announcing the destruc- tion of the submarine. Reuter.

THE GERMÁN STATEMENT

· Berlin, To-day.

A German statement on the bombing of Heligoland naval base, declares that owing to the heavy anti-aircraft fire, the enemy were able to drop only a few bombs, which did "very slight material damage."

One fishing-boat was sunk. Reuter.

The lad was returned to his par- ents on Saturday night.

Working diligently on the case for over a month, the police eventually discovered that the boy was being held somewhere in the Waichow Dis- trict, Chinese territory, by kidnappers.

With the co-operation of the Chin- esc authorities at Walchow, the lad was traced to Poklo Hsien, where the Chinese police surrounded a house and following a gunbattle with the kidnappers rescued the boy.

Several of the kidnappers have been arrested.

TWO KILLED

The "China Mail" understands that two of the kidnappers were shot and killed during the fight with the Chin ese Police at Poklo Halen,

The Hong Kong police have

prehended several suspects in

Colony and it is likely that they will be sent to Walchow.

GERMAN

U-BOAT TRAPPED

London, To-day.

The dramatic story of how a German U-boat fell into a carefully laid trap by British warships off the coast of Britain is now revealed.

The failure of the U-boat to reach its objective was due to the watchful- ness of the crew of a small fishing smack, who saw the submarine in the moonlight slipping stealthily along the coast, and immediately reported its presence to the naval authorities.

The U-boat commander was lulled into a false sense of security and made his way towards his objective and was almost ready to carry out his mis- sion when, as pre-arranged, the war- ships and searching craft swooped upon the submarine and destroyed it with depth charges. Reuter.

KWEILIN BOMBED FOR THIRD DAY

Kweilin, To-day, For the third successive

day, Kweilin was bombed yesterday morn- ing.

The raiding planes made Hungmiao, a suburb in the south-west, their main target and dropped more than 40 bombs.

Japanese planes also bombed Pin- yang, Liuchow, Hohsiang and Kwei- hsien. Central News.

THIEVES ACTIVE

Chan Yiu-wing, of No. 469, Shang- hai Street, has reported the theft of property valued at $181 from his real- dence some time last night.

Property valued at $141 was stolen from No. 6, Arbuthnot Road, during the week-end.

-part of the organlaätión af roué / ked at a ralf-hand in the South of Engla

to the British Expeditionary,

* The Dead ad párnals have bei dern (Gapyright;

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