RAF. OFFENSIVE ON 130-MILE FRONT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 134, 9 June 1942, Page 5

RAF. OFFENSIVE ON 130-MILE FRONT

LARGE SCALE SWEEP

Docks, Ships And Train Bombed L.P.A. and British Wireless. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON. June S. The Air Ministry communique states that in large-scale offensive operations over the Channel and enemy-occupied territory Bostons with strong lighter escort attacked the docks and other objectives at Bruges. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed, while six of our fighters are missing, but two of the pilots are safe. The Air Ministry news service, referring to the raid, says it ranged over 130 miles of front, from Bruges to Dieppe. At Bruges Bostons bombed the docks, factory and railway, while Spitfires swept in from Dieppe to Dunkirk. It was a semicircle 30 to 40 miles in depth. One force of Spitfires operated in the Ambleteuse, St. Omer and Mard.yek area, while another swept from Dieppe to Abbeville. They destroyed three Focke-Wulf 190's and severely damaged at least a dozen others. Two pilots of the Second American Eagle Squadron accounted for the three destroyed. One Spitfire formation had a dogfight with 30 FockeWulf 190's almost above St. Omer Aerodrome, but cloud prevented them seeing what was almost certainly the end of a number of the enemy planes. Another Spitfire squadron was pounced on over the Channel by Focke-Wulfs. but it fought its way out, damaging one enemy aircraft. Two British pilots who made a forced landing in the Channel were rescued. Big Aerodrome Fire Coastal Command planes last night, states an Air Ministry communique, attacked shipping off the Frisian Islands and directly hit a medium-sized ship. Fighter Command planes resumed intruder operations, bombed a goods train at Montdidier, in occupied France, and also attacked the Leeuwarden aerodrome, in the Netherlands. Fires occurred, one of which was visible 45 miles distant. Keeping up its day and night offensive against the enemy, the Fighter Command last month destroyed 52 enemy aircraft on the other side of the Channel, 42 in daylight and 10 at night. Thirteen more were shot down in daylight round Britain and 21 at night, making a total of S6 enemy aircraft destroyed during the month. The 31 enemy bombers destroyed at night represent a very much higher rate of success than the enemy night defences have achieved against the R.A.F. in their heavy raids on Germany. By the end of last month the Fighter Command had raised the total of enemy aircraft destroyed in daylight since the outbreak to 4365. For the Coastal Command, May was a most successful month. ManyGerman vessels of all types were hit by bombs and either sunk or damaged. Blast furnaces in the Ruhr are going short because iron ore for them is lying at the bottom of the North Sea. Last evening an R.A.F. fighter shot down an enemy bomber into the sea off the south-west coast of England.