14 Dec 1941, Father Biotteau's wartime diary

Submitted by fdremeaux on Mon, 12/07/2015 - 16:44
((Original text)) ((Jill Fell's translation))
Le grand chambardement commence. Bombardement intense et prolongé sur Mount Davis par de grosses pièces d’artillerie. Extérieurement le fort n’a pas l’air de s’en porter plus mal. Cependant à notre grande surprise, il ne répond presque pas. Les bombardiers commencent eux aussi – d’ordinaire par groupes de 3 – à survoler l’île et, çà et là, à lâcher leurs bombes qui éclatent avec un bruit terrible. The great upheaval begins. Intense and prolonged bombardment on Mount Davis by heavy artillery.  To all outward appearances the fort doesn’t seem to be coming off worse. However, to our great surprise, it hardly responds. The bombers are also beginning to overfly the island – usually in groups of 3 – and, here and there, to drop their bombs, which explode with a terrible noise.
Date(s) of events described