GREAT VALUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 90, 16 April 1940, Page 7

GREAT VALUE.

WORK OP R.A.F. Reconnaissance Off Coast Of Norway. examination or fiords. British Official Wireless. (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, April 15. The Air Ministry announces that reconnaissance off the Norwegian coast has continued throughout to be of the most valuable scrvice. Here it is, too, that enemy transport and ammunition shins have been attacked.

At the same time as aircraft of the Coastal Command were scouring the northern seas to locate those German naval vessels which have thus far escapcd destruction by the Royal Xavv. long-range fighters were attacking aerodromes in Southern Xorway, to which the invader has been carrying troop reinforcements. Much damage has been done to assembled enemy aircraft, and successful attacks have also been made on enemy seaplanes at anchor in fiords.

So far there has been no opportunity for a direct air attack against enemyair transports. These are convoyed by dav.

Despite unfavourable weather conditions, Stavanger aerodrome has again Wen bombed. Several sections of R.A.F. aircraft were engaged, all of which returned safclv.

The crew of one of the British aircraft engaged in the latest attack on Stavanger reported seeing a sudden red plow, apparently caused by a big explosion. "The air,'' he added, "was simply alive with blue and orange searchlights, rockets and shells, which burst into groups of four bluish-white stars.

"We sailed through it all and dropped our bombs right on the target. Mv rear gunner sprayed bullets down the* beam of one searchlight which picked us up. The light went out at once and remained out."

The official communiques issued by the Air Ministry during last week did not convey the full extent of the work of the R.A.F. Reconnaissances have been conducted by day and night, and every Norwegian fiord" which could possibly shelter enemy craft has been examined.

Wliile the Navy has been exerting itself, with the splendid results already known, in the northernmost parts of the Norwegian coast, it is to the south <>f Bergen that patrols of the R.A.F. and Fleet Air Arm have jriven their attention. The Germans have larpe numbers of fijrhters. and would have to be engaged by numbers approaching their own, but which would be operating at many times the distance from their bases of the German machines.

For the present, more fruitful employment u available f or the Air Forces employed on the Allied side for operations in the north. R.A.F. reconnaissance flights over northern Germany are, of course, proceeding as usual, and valuable information has been brought back from recent flights

While no information is ret available. it may be assumed that the R.\_F P * tr " ls , «» operated in the landing effected by the British forces.

It is understood the Tosses suffered •»y the R.A.F. in these operations over Norway, at great distance from home bases have been surprisingly low when all relevant factors are taken into account.