MUCH ACTIVITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 108, 9 May 1941, Page 7

MUCH ACTIVITY

LAST WEDNESDAY

BUSY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

FOR R.A.F.

J^' :'■:■ RUGBY, May 7. *Aa Air Ministry communique des-.cribes-the'eneiny activity off thesoutheast coast \ today (Wednesday) •as considerable. .'■■'•• ''■' •.■-■•;■ ■■ ;. .;-. ■ ' y- . ■ '.-; The Ministry's news service states that fighters, of the R.A.F. had a busy and successful day. They managed to bring to battle a number of German fighters, on patrol off the northern coast of France and in* the Straits of Dover, after weeks of being unable to make them fight. In the process, in addition to shooting down six enemy fighters, they severely damaged a number, of others. All the German fighters - destroyed were Messerschmitt 109's. One Spitfire squadron got the six in three different dogfights off the Kentish coast.', /The first battle began / soon after dawn, two enemy planes' being»shot down in this engagement. It was a ''free-for-all"- which began when four Spitfires from the squadron intercepted eight Messerschmitts. Describing the action, one pilot said: "They were a short distance away, flying in line astern, when we first saw them. . I turned in on the enemy and they at once formed a defensive circle, but this soon broke up when we went into the attack. I gave one German a good burst and then broke away. When I turned back he was slowly; spinning down." Another pilot in the same section of the squadron began an attack on a MesserscHmitt 109 from a considerable distance. The enemy dived straight down to sea level, but was overtaken. Trying to climb away, he was fired at again, and black smoke poured! from the engine. He rolled over on his back and dived straight down to the ■' sea.' . .' • ' . . '' ■' ■■'■•■• In addition to the six Nazi fighters.. an enemy bomber was shot down this evening by R.A.F. fighters, and another hostile aircraft was destroyed off the east coast of Scotland, .bringing the number of enemy aircraft destroyed during daylight today to eight.—B.O.W.