AIR ATTACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 87, 12 April 1940, Page 7

AIR ATTACK.

LARGEST OF THE WAR.

Air Force's Part In Raids On Norway's Ports.

NAZI SCAPA FLOW OFFENSIVE

British Official Wireless.

(Beceired 12.30 p.m.) KUGBY, April 11. Mr. Churchill's story of Wednesday was of air action and bombing in Bergen Fiord by the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Arm. The last detail he gave the House wae of an attack at daybreak by eighteen torpedo-carrying aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm on enemy shipping in. Trondieim harbour.

Amongst the reports of air activity were two from Norway and a brief account of yesterday's raid on Scapa Flow and Moray Firth, which he. described as 'the "lar«*wt air attack of the war."

About 60 Nazi machines took part in the Scottish raids, of which at least eight will never return. No damage was done by the raiders either to shipping or property.

Ovsr Bergen harbour reconnaissance aircraft of the Coastal Command found tiie birth of a Nazi cruiser empty and

its place taken by an oil pittrh about a mile long and, although the neighbouring fiords were search, no trace of the bombed vessel was 6een. British air circles take the view that the Fleet Air Arm operations were completely effective. Other news from Norway concerns an R.A.F. long-range fighter, which dived over an aerodrome occupied by the Nazis and successfully machine-gunned the assembled aircraft, destroying a HeinkeJ and damaging another, after which the pilot eprayed Boehin and Voss aircraft with bullet?.

A heavy bomber being refuelled was eet alight. On the way home the fighter engaged a Junker 88 "and put the port engine and rear gun out of action.