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Operation Leader - October 4, 1943 |
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Allied Fleet Rips Nazi Shipping In Surprise Attack Off Norway Carrier-Based Planes Bomb Many Merchant Craft, Including Big Tanker, at Bodoe, in Blow at Foe's Northern Sea Lanes BY JAMES MacDONALD |
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LONDON, Oct 5 -- Defying enemy shore batteries and warships lurking in Norwegian waters, a combined United States and British naval force that included a strongly escorted American aircraft carrier, have struck a surprise blow at German merchant shipping in the Norwegian "leads" or inner waterways in the Bodoe (1) area, it was announced in a British Admiralty communiqué tonight. German naval units in Norway, where, according to the latest unofficial reports reaching London, the powerful battleship Tirpitz (2) is lying in a fjord somewhere northeast of Trondheim, refusing to accept the obvious challenge to come out and fight. The only opposition was by enemy anti-aircraft fire and by two German planes (3), both of which were destroyed by fighter machines that took off from the American carrier. Three planes from the carrier, the name of which was, of course, withheld for security reasons, were shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire but the communiqué said that some members of their crews may possibly have been picked up by the Germans.
There was no indication of the size of the United States force that participated in the action. The communiqué said the British naval forces comprised the Home Fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Bruce A. Fraser who is one of this country's leading experts in air-sea strategy. The official announcement did not come out flatly and say that this action, which took place early yesterday morning, was a direct challenge for a full-scale naval battle but the fact that the British Home Fleet was mentioned spoke for itself. The communiqué merely said that the operation was directed "against enemy shipping." Chief significance of the announcement was that the Home Fleet, instead of devoting itself mainly to defensive work, as it has done hitherto, has now undertaken offensive duty and is now able for the first time in this war to seek out the enemy in his own waters. The announcement of this foray coincides with the changeover at the Admiralty, where the 59-year-old Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham, victor of "Cunningham's Pond" -- the Mediterranean -- is now in charge. Bodoe is on the Norwegian mainland about sixty miles from the Lofoten Islands, which twice have been raided by Commandos. Recently the Germans were reported to have ordered the evacuation of the Lofotens as a precaution against a possible Allied invasion, Bodoe is on the north side of the Sal Fjord, which is capable of sheltering fairly large vessels. As a result of the recent decision by Sweden refusing the Nazis further use of Swedish railroads for the transportation of materials and men to Norway, the Germans are compelled to send them by ship through the Skagerrak and up along the Norwegian coast. Yesterday morning's Allied attack shows how vulnerable these German lifelines to their Norwegian bases have become. Moreover, the naval operation took on still further significance in view of the fact that now that the long northern nights are beginning to close in with the approach of autumn and winter, convoys may be expected soon to be carrying supplies to Russia.(6) Footnotes (1) Bodö. See Also: |
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Air Group 4 - "Casablanca to Tokyo" |
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