Britain put its new form of lightning war to the first major test Wednesday in a combined air, land, and sea bombardment of France's Diego Suarez naval base on Madagascar and the results, despite stubborn French resistance, were encouraging to the United Nations' cause.

With a force estimated at 25,000 regulars, parachutists and commandos in the field, covered by carrier-borne planes and supplied by a fleet of 23 fighting and transport ships, the newest BEF drove 20 miles across the narrow northern tip of the great Indian Ocean island, fought its way into Diego Suarez streets and threatened momentarily, after a two-day campaign, to sieze the naval base from the rear.

The French acknowledged the loss of four warships, a submarine and a mine-laying sloop sunk when they attacked British transports, and two cruisers "missing."

On the French Home Front, turmoil continued. The Germans shot 40 more hostages Wednesday, 30 at Caen in reprisal for the wrecking of a German train, and 10 at Romerantin for an attack on German soldiers