In the phase of the atta high-explosive and incendiary bombs fell at a rate of five a minute for more than an hour, Fires spread rapidly among dockside buildings, others were started near a block of warehouses on the east bank of the Blavet River and one huge blaze engulfed buildings near the harbour power station and lit up a great part of the docks and river.
This blaze was seen by crews of aircraft g over the French Channel coast on the other side of Brittany peninsular.
Following raiders guided by these fires added to the damage. Sticks of high-explosive bombs straddled shipping lying in basins and river anchorages.
An explosion lasting for nearly two minutes shook docks at Lo Havre. It was seen by the crews of two air-
F rench Channel Ports "Useless"
Despatches Received in Vichy Confirm Reports
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.