R.A.F. OVER GREECE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 21 April 1941, Page 7

R.A.F. OVER GREECE.

Fighter Patrols Meet Nazi

Dive-Bombers,

ENEMY PLANES SHOT DOWN. Krilisli official Wireless. (Rood. 2 p.m.) IUHBV. April 20. Operations in Creece last. Friday, in which ten <; cin lit ii aircraft were destroyed and many seriouslv da imaged, are de-rrihed I>y the Air Ministrv news service. Fighter pilots of tin- K.A.K. sought out and destroyed enemy aircraft in a number of offensive patrols.

When one Hurricane squadron ran into ten Junkers ST. escorted by a large formation of Mcsscr-ehmit t s lO't. against odds something like four to one. the Briti-h lighters went into battle.

When, bullet-scarred but still at full strcigth. the squadron returned to its base a young pilot-otliccr gave a brief description of his part in the encounter:

"We arrived over the I'harsala area."' he said, "to find a lot of (iermau lighters escorting the .I tinkers !S7 which were dive-bombing an army convoy. One seemed intent on his dive, but when I got on his tail he altered his mind and tried to slip away.

'"Mv firsr "burst set him on lire. The Herman air-gunner opened lire oil me. but I got in another burst. After that the bomber dived straight to earth and crashed into a hillside. Next instant 1 caught sight of another Junkers S7 and getting underneath him fired into his radiator. My second burst from astern sent the bomber nose down and there was black smoke pouring from the engine." According to the R.A.F. Middle Fast communique, there, has l.een con-iderable successful 11. A.F. activity against Herman dive bombers. Kscorled by lighters, they were attempting to attack our ground tnxqis at various points and shipping at Khalkis and were intercepted by our lighter patrol.-. During the day. without loss the.m-elves, our lighters -hot down three Junkers >7. two Junkers SS. fmir Mi s-erschmit t - liHI and one lleinkcl 1 —I>. and severely damage.l many others. Yesterday several Stukas 7!) were, scriou-lv damaged bv our lighters over Melos.