GERMAN RAIDERS SHOT DOWN

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22908, 3 January 1940, Page 7

GERMAN RAIDERS SHOT DOWN

Engagements ■ Off British Coast

TWO HEINKELS LOST

rmriTßD press association— copyright.) (Received January 2, 10.30 p.m,) LONDON, January 2. Germany lost two new, fast, twin-engined Heinkel aeroplanes off the British coast yesterday. One was destroyed in an attack on a British warghip at the Shetland Islands. It power-dived on the warship and vainly dropped two bombs. Anti-air-craft guns destroyed it.' The other was destroyed in an engagement off the east coast of Scotland, when two Heinkels were attacked by three aircraft of the Coastal Command. The Heinkels were flying abreast at 1000 feet when they were sighted. A British machine singled out the right-hand Heinkel and detached it, repeatedly hitting the fuselage, engines, and wings in a running pursuit 130 miles from the coast. The Heinkel finally plunged into the sea, wings aflame, and out of control. The loss is semi-officially admitted in Berlin, which ascribes it to unfitness caused by a technical defect. The announcement adds, that the British aeroplane received several hits and did not reach home. It also stated that British reconnaissance machines tried to raid the German North Sea coast, but the dofenders drove them off. • Further details of the engagement off the Scottish coast are given in a British Official Wireless message. This says that the British aircraft engaged the enemy at once, and a running fight lasting half an hour ensued. The right-hand Heinkel, before its pilot could manoeuvre out of the angle' of fire, was hit in the fuselage and wings many times, Shortly afterwards the port engine and both wings were a mass of flames, and the enemy aircraft was seen to dive into the sea out of control. As it neared the water, one of its crew jumped, using a parachute. “Apparently the parachute was unsuccessful. He dropped to the sea and disappeared,” reported the pilot of the third Coastal Command aircraft, which had held a watching brief over the combat. The other Heinkel, which was attacked by the othei* two aircraft, did not escape scot-free. As its companion crashed, it turned away, and having been exposed to the concentrated Are of the attackers, succeeded in making its escape into the clouds, Nothing more was seen .of the enemy, and the British pilots resumed their patrol,'

WORK OF COASTAL COMMAND '

PATROLS OVER WIDE AREA LONDON, January 1. The Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force stretches from the Arctic Circle tq the Bay of Biscay and from the western coasts pf Europe to some 100 miles west of Ireland.

Its aircraft, from the outbreak of war ,to Christmas Day had fiown more than 3,370,000 pules. This was accomplished in 44,00P flying hours, during which enemy submarines had been sighted 107 times and 57 ah tacks made op them, Air escorts had been provided for 4QO convoys, The Bomber Command bad made 27 mass flights over Germany. - About 90 german aircraft had attempted to cross the British coast or operate in British territorial waters, of which 23 were known tq' have been brought down by British aircraft, three by anti-aircraft guns, and one crashed. Altogether 58 German machines had been destroyed Since the wju? began, six by anti-aircraft fire,' one crashed and 51 by the British air action.

It.A.F CASUALTY ■ LIST

fasiTiga ompur* ' : rugby, January i

The sixteenth casualty list issued by the Air Ministry 'announces the following casualties in action, p>, previously reported mi ss = ing and : row > reported kfiied in getion, 7; previously reported missing and believed killed in action,! 1! wounded in sefton. Imissing, and believed killed in action, 14; missing 47; kilied on active service, 13: difd on active service, 8.

AEROPLANES OVER FRIFBLANU

(Received January 2, 19 p,m,) THE HAGUE, January 2,' Anti-aircraft guns,fired oh unidentified aeroplanes over Friesland, and the northern islands. The hia c hm§S made gg (o thq north-wegt.

GERMANRUSBIAN agreements

PRETENSION TO END OP IMP

(Heceived January Z, § 1 January i, Tha SerißPnsßijsgian goijifngPfiial and Baymante.-n§regm(2nt f s pf 1938 have been extended to the end ef I§4o.