NINETEEN GERMAN TLAWES DESTROYED.

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

NINETEEN GERMAN TLAWES DESTROYED.

RECENT RAIDS.

R.A.F. Admit Loss Of Six Since Last Monday.

HEAVY ATTACK ON SCAPA.

tJnited Press Association.—Copyright

(Received 10.30 a.m.) LOXDOX, April 1L The Air Ministry states that since Monday morning the R.A.P. has lost t\v.o flying boats, one reconnaissance plane and three bombers. No fighters have been lost in the same period. It is confirmed that 19 German 'planes have been destroved.

A Leith trawler was bombed and roachioe gunned, but replied with its gun, hitting the 'plane several times. One of the trawler's crew was wounded. At least seven, and probably 14. German bombers were destroyed Vesterday without loss to British aircraft or ship*pmg. Four Herman machines were shot down in a fruitless night raid on Scapa Flow. The German bombers came o\-er in large and small formations, dropped bombs and carried out machine-gun attacks on Stromness and Kirkwall. They di<l no damage to warships or other shipping, or to property. The only casualty was one man slightly injured!! Three of the four machines lost wore shot down by anti-aircraft fire, and the other by fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. Two other German bombers were so badly damaged that it is most unlikely that they will be able to return to their bases. Costly Attack on Convoy. The Air Ministry announces that two Heinkel bombers wen- s-bot down by Hurricanes of the Fighter Command while carrying out an earlier attack on a convoy in the Moray Firth. A third German machine was also shot down during , this action.

The most spectacular engagement was carried out by two long-range British fighters over Norway. They attacked two German bombers about to land on a Norwegian aerodrome One German machine was sent crashing to the ground and the other was very severely damaged. A third on the pround was probably destroyed when the fighters set fire to a refuelling tank. On their wav home the fighter.* attacked a fourth Ger- ! man machine, and it was so badly dam- | aged that it is unlikely to be able to 1 reach home. Another air battle w.is fought over the Channel. A single British fighter engaged a (ierman Heinkel 111. at a great height near Cape Gris Xez! and fought it until all the British aero-1 plane's ammunition was exhausted. The; enemy aircraft was last seen diving in * cloud with heavy black smoke pouring from ih* jrtt — jpm

A total of 61 enemy aircraft ere now definitely known to hare been lost in raids round the British coast, and * dozen others are unlikelv to have returned to their bases. According to an official announcement in tbe French war communique two enemy reconnaissance machines were shot down on the Western Front this morning.