THREE SERVICE CO-OPERATION : Bombs bursting on Herdla Airfield in Norway to render it temporarily unusable during the

raid by our Army Commarrtlos at Vaagso. Although the landing operation was a hundred miles away, this was the only airfield
within striking distance.

Brilliant Sea, Air and Land Co-operation : The Russians in the Crimea : British Raid on
Norwegian Islands : Japanese Air Superiority in the Pacific
this double b o m b a r d m e n t the Russian
infantry landed a n d captured t h e
e n e m y ' s lines. T h e strength of the
forces which t h e Russians p u t ashore
has n o t been stated, b u t if t h e y are
sufficient (and they are being reinforced) t h e y will t h r e a t e n
the
Germans who are investing Sevastopol.
The e n e m y was obviously t a k e n b y
surprise by this daring exploit.
In
m a n y ways it recalls the enterprise by
which British forces recaptured Berbera in Somaliland, a n d we m a y be
sure t h a t t h e Russian staff has studied
all the operations en both sides in this
war.
The British raid on the Norwegian
islands took place on S a t u r d a y , December 27th. B y comparison, it was
only a small affair, b u t t h e combined
work of t h e three Services was as perfect as it well could be. As t h e naval
vessels entered t h e channel to t h e
south of Vaagso before daylight,
H a m p d e n bombers p u t down a smoke
screen to cover t h e landing of the
A r m y C o m m a n d o s . A fighter escort
of Blenheims and Beaufighters of
Coastal C o m m a n d was provided, and
each fighter sortie was relieved a t the
end of its period of d u t y and flew t h e
300 miles home with a margin of fuel.
Blenheims a t t a c k e d the nearest airfield, bombed t h e wooden runways.