R.A.F. AT MURMANSK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 77, 27 September 1941, Page 9

R.A.F. AT MURMANSK

MASTERS OF THE AIR

UNPLEASANT SURPRISE FOR

THE GERMANS

LONDON, September 26.

' The Stockholm correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says the Royal Air Force is in action on the Murmansk front. It has driven off German planes, permitting the Russians to throw back the enemy offensive ten miles behind the Liza River.

The appearance of the R.A.F. on this front, the correspondent says, has been probably the Germans' most unpleasant surprise for weeks. When Germans and Austrians advanced six days ago after forcing the Liza River they threw in strong forces of divebombers to blast the Russian positions. Hurricanes met the stukas, which promptly made off under cover of morning mists. The invaders held to the attack while squadrons of Messerschmitts were brought up from Petsamo and Kirkenes. These, after a series of dogfights, also made off, and the R.A.F. were masters of the air.

The Russians then counter-attacked, throwing back the Germans and Austrians 10 miles.

The advent of the R.A.F. in these operations was a very well-kept secret. The Germans were fully informed of the facts, but have not dared to publish them for fear of damaging the Finnish and German morale.

The same correspondent says that waves of stukas and heavy bombers are ceaselessly raiding Leningrad, causing indescribable damage, but always losing a percentage of their number, and they have not succeeded in breaking the Russian defences or fighting spirit.