Plymouth: Britain’s latest commando raid has ended in farce. A team of untrained men designated as special forces of No. 3 Commando was to raid Guernsey airport. Compass failure sent it in error to tiny Sark. Other men hit undefended points on Guernsey to no purpose. As they withdrew, their commanding officer slipped and fired his revolver, alerting the enemy. Three men said that they could not swim to the pick-up boat.

Spilsby, Lincolnshire: The rector of Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, was sentenced to four weeks’ jail today for ringing his church bell. He claimed that he did not know of the order prohibiting the ringing of church bells except as warning of an airborne invasion. It came into force a month ago, on 14 June. PC Peck said that he found the rector in his belfry pulling the bell rope on 16 June.

The rector, the Rev Robert Grant Colvin Graham, insisted that he was a loyal citizen. He had not then read the letter from his bishop banning bell-ringing.

Corvette HMS Godetia commissioned.

Corvette HMS Mignonette laid down.

Destroyer HMS Panther laid down.

ENGLISH CHANNEL: A force of 15 Do17s attempt to bomb a convoy but are driven off by Hurricanes from Nos. 56 and 151 Squadrons.

BALTIC STATES: Plebiscites held yesterday  in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are said to show unanimous support for union with the USSR.

Some regions register more than 100% support.

The plebiscites were rigged and conducted under heavily intimidating circumstances to ensure that the Soviets got the 99+% approval.

PORTUGAL: The cruiser USS Trenton (CL-11) sails from Lisbon, Portugal for the Annapolis, Maryland, USA, with members of the royal family of the Duchy of Luxembourg on board.

U.S.A.: Chippewa Falls: Robert Pershing Wadlow, the worlds tallest man at 8 ft 11inches, dies of complications brought on by a foot infection.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: SS Evdoxia was sunk 40 miles SW of Bull Rock, Ireland by U-34.