FEW RAIDS ON BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23352, 11 June 1941, Page 7

FEW RAIDS ON BRITAIN

R.A.F. Attacks On , Shipping BATTLE OVER CHANNEL (Received June 10, 11 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, June 10. Enemy air activity over Britain last night was slight. Bombs were dropped at a point on the south coast, but no damage was caused and there were no casualties. In daylight yesterday machines of the Bomber and Coastal Commands attacked enemy shipping off the coasts of Norway, Belgium, and Holland. Visibility was poor'and prevented observation of the results. Four British bombers are missing. . When a Beaufort bombed a ship in the docks at La Pallice, on the Biscay coast yesterday, the pilot flew so low that he had to dodge the cranes. He let go his bombs while he was actually below the level of a swastika flag flying from a mast on a mole. As he came in over the harbour, the pilot saw a ship of about 7000 tons unloading cargo, The* crew was busy on the deck. The Beaufort came down in a spiral dive below 100 feet, dropped a stick of delayed action bombs, and then climbed . quickly away. Smoke was coming from the ship’s stern as the Beaufort turned out to sea. The Germans made another attempt to bring the air war westward yesterday. They sent over formations of their new Messerschmitt 109 fighters. Many dog fights developed over the coastal areas, and in these the British fighters again came out on top. The scrap began when three Spitfires on patrol above the ships they were convoying were pounced on by a number of Messerschmitts, which appeared suddenly out of the clouds. The British pilots evaded the attack and turned to join.battle. As they did so, other German fighters appeared, and so did more patrolling Spitfires. Wild dog fights followed beneath and in and out of thick clouds. The battle lasted for more than half an hour. One British pilot saw pieces coming away from the fuselage of his opponent before he lost him in the mist. Agency messages state that the Germans came over in sweeps, in the south and south-east coastal areas. British fighters and ground defences quickly drove them back again. One enemy machine coming down near the Dorset coast crashed a mile inland in a- village. One tree-top observer saw a Spitfire pilot tackle three of the enemy, fighters. He drove them off and two .were seen to crash. Several enemy machines were seen to be hit and damaged during the engagements. One is known to have been destroyed. Members Of a ship's crew saw it crash into the sea. One British machine is missing. An Air Ministry communique states: “During daylight yesterday there was activity over the Straits of Dover and near the coast of Kent, and also over the coastal districts of south and southwest England. Up to 8 p.m. there were no reports of bombs having been dropped. In engagements with our fighters protecting shipping in the Straits, several enemy fighters were, seen to be hit and damaged, but owing to poor visibility their , destruction cannot be confirmed. One of our fighters was lost.” The Air Ministry has announced that Royal Air Force bombers on Sunday night attacked targets in western Germany. Successful results were achieved especially at Essen and Dortmund, where large . fires were started. The main attack was ’delivered at 'Dortmund, where bombs were dropped on the docks and railway lines. Other targets were in the Ruhr, where lines of communication were damaged. All the British machines returned safely. CIVILIAN DEFENCE IN’U.&'v' FORMATION OF A.R.P. SERVICE (Received June 11, 1-30 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 9. The Mayor of New York (Mr F. H. La Guardia) has directed the formation of an A.R.P. warden service, designed to embrace 60,000 men and women, and also the establishment of 15,000 auxiliary police for civilian defence purposes. Plans are being prepared for the use of New York’s 12,000 taxis for civilian defence. UNDERGROUND HANGARS IN U.S. BASES (Received June 11, 1.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON. June 9. Colonel. Frank Kennedy, of the United States Army Air Corps, , revealed that the United States Army is building underground hangars in important bases which can be used for Flying Fortresses at present patrolling the Caribbean sea, . AIR MAIL LETTERS FROM SOLDIERS NEW ARRANGEMENTS IN AUSTRALIA (Received June 11, 1.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 10. Members of the Australian Imperial Force in the Middle East will soon be able to send letters home by air mail at the reduced charge of 3d. The Minister for the Army (Mr P. C. Spender) said to-day that the Post Office Jiad agreed to proposals under which special air mail letter-cards would be forwarded from the Middle East for 3d each.' The cards would be supplied to the troops free. The service will begin within a few weeks, when the cards are printed and distributed.