FIRST LINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 262, 6 November 1939, Page 8

FIRST LINE.

AERIAL DEFENCE.

Allied Patrols Over Nazi

Territory.

NORTHERN FRANCE RAIDED? Cnited I'ro -s A.ssnoiiitlon.—Copyright. ( I veil I I'.111.) Ijt >N I)< IN. November 5. Keiiter'.s ci iiTe .-poliden I with tho I'riti-h Kxpeditionary Force says the Allied nir forces have established constant air pat nils across the German lines from Switzerland to Luxemburg. 111,.V ure chiclly watching for reconnoitring aircraft which arc increasingly nctivc. and they also form the first line of defence against mids on Paris ami even London. A message from Brussels says the Germans made an air raid over north France this morning. Towns mentioned were Lille and Houlmix, but there are no details. The three Royal Air Force pilots who were rcspon-ilile for bringing down two • ieimiin aeroplanes on the Western Front last Thursday arc aged and ■_!(> icnpect i\cly, says the "Daily Tcleyra ph." The pilots said two Heinkel bombers were sighted at feet. Six British lighters went up and one overtook a bomlier after 40 minutes' Hying at lull S | K'Cll. The British pilot coolly liehl his fire until the range was perfect and loosed a full burst with his synchronised guns. He saw the bullets patter into the enemy's fuselage, from which smoke emerged, and one propeller cut out. 'J he landing wheels of the enemy aircraft dropped and it stnrteil to spiral to the earth, where it crashed in a hedge. 'I he l!)-vear old Gcrnutn pilot survived and two of his crew were seriously injured. Plume of Smoke. A French official morning communique states: "The night generally was quiet. There was artillery action oil both sides in the region east of the Blies.'' Two other British pilots overtook the second bomber after 100 miles chase. There was a brief exchange of fire and then the German machine dived amid a plumo of einoke and crashed in Belgian territory. Yesterday morning's official French communique stated that there was patrol activity at various points of the front. Last evening it was announced that on iiuth sides light reconnoitring units had been active between the Moselle and the Saar. This morning's communique stated tihat there hud been some artillery netion, but otherwise the night was (j«iict. A Luxemltonrg newspaper states that the Germans are still very busy with their fortifications near the Moselle. Minor German troop movements are ocmirring north of Sarreguemines. To tho east of this town enemy artillery is active. French soldiers exposed to enemy fire will receive an extra 1/3 a day, says a Paris message. Mr. Winston Churchill arrived at tlie British Expeditionary Force headquarters in France ana lunched with Viscount Gort, V.C., Commander-in-Chief of the British Field Forces. Details of Britain's air defences were shown on Saturday to the Ministerial repreientatives, said an earlier cable Inessabe. They visited the headquarters of the| Royal Air Force fighter command, and were shown over th® closelyguardetl operations room, whence go out signals controlling the operations of fighting aircraft. Shown Actual Messages. At the headquarters of the Royal Air Force coastal command the visitors were shown actual messages reporting the progress of an attack on an enemy submarine by patrolling aircraft. Signals flashed by the pilot from far out over northern waters were in the combat language of the Royal Air Force. They came in quick succession as follows j— "From pilot of aircraft No. —, 19.48 hours. Am over enemy submarine in position —. Submarine is diving. Have attacked. Estimate one hit." Then followed a detailed report: "I first sighted a submarine on the surface two miles on the starboard bow. The submarine began to dive. I attacked down the wind and the first salvo of bombs fell 50 yards ahead. I turned. The second salvo fell five yards short from the conning tower, which was still visible. The bomb splash and the conning tower appeared to be oil the same spot. The sea was very rough and the wind 50 miles an hour. All traces of tho submarine were then lost. End message. Pilot aircraft No. —." The visitors were also handed the reported discovery of a submarine by aircraft in the Atlantic. A few minutes later it was announced that the aircraft nad called up a destroyer, which immediately changed its course to deal with the U-boat.