SHUTTLE SERVICE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 206, 1 September 1941, Page 7

SHUTTLE SERVICE

Sky Over Channel Alive With Fighters; R.A.F. Striking

(British Oflic ial Wireless.—R ec . 1 p.m.) RUGBY, August 31. Up to lunch time air activity was reported to have been so intense over the sea and coast to-day that the sky was full of planes in this, the second air sweep of the day the earlier one had been at dawn. Spitfires and Hurricanes were everywhere They skimmed oyer the rooftops while, stepped up above them were three more layers of aircraft. The highest up were no more than glistening white specks.

Rumblings felt on the British coast during the mornine seemed to indicate that the R.A.F. had a busy time at the Channel ports and their immediate hinterland. The RAF has virtually run a shuttle service to the Continent ever since daylieht this morning, and u still doing so. "

This afternoon activity was maintained, and flights 0 f half a dozen fighters at a time passed to and fro in an almost endless stream. It was an amazing sight as these fighters hurtled over the sea, to come back half an hour later, skimming the water as thev came in from the east before lifting over the house The sky has been so alive with fighters that the people have not had a chance to see what bombers were flying above them.

Scores of bombers and fighters passed over the east coast shortly before one o clock this afternoon. They appeared to be flying in two different directions—due east and south-east

An Air Ministry communique states that weather conditions last night were unfavourable for offensive operations, which there f r^V n , a r\ S ru n r ale - B ? mber a>rcraf~t attacked the docks at Cherbourg and aircraft of the Coastal Command bombed ground defences near the Dutch coast. Two aircraft or the v-osstßi Command circ missing

The Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security in a communique state that there were only a few enemy aircraft over this country last night. Bombs fell in one place on the south-easJ coast and caused slight damage and a very small number of