AIR BATTLES

Evening Star, Issue 23451, 16 December 1939, Page 12

AIR BATTLES

SEVERAL OVER NORTH SEA [J.A.F. HAS BEST SF EHOBUHTEBS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 14. The Air Ministry announces: “ Throughout the last 24 hours considerable Royal Air Force forces have been in operation over the North Sea. These operations included a wide search for enemy surface craft and submarines and close reconnaissance of estuaries and fortified islands in the north-west of Germany. One formation engaged a strong enemy fighter force in Heligoland Bight. In the ensuing encounter intense fighting developed, in the course of which four Messerschmitt fighters and three of our aircraft were shot down. All our other formations returned without loss. Further details of two recent engagements between coastal command aircraft and two Dorniers over the North Sea show that the second combat was almost an exact repetition of-the first. On each occasion the British aircraft fired almost the same number of rounds of ammunition and did almost the same damage to the enemy. Both combats took place at the same height and in both cases a cloud bank provided the enemy with a ready means of escape. In the first engagement British aircraft were far out from their base, near Scandinavian waters, and flying low on account of heavy cloud at 1,200 ft. The enemy was a big, twin-engined Dornier flying-boat. Royal Air Force aircraft attacked, and for 24 minutes fought the enemy in a narrow space between the sea and clouds. The crew of the heavily-armed Dornier . blazed away with all guns as the pilot sought to out-manoeuvre the pursuits, but the

British pilots were too quick for the / enemy gunners. Keeping well out of the field of fire, they positioned the aircraft for their own gunners to get to work. Finally, with both rear gunners hit, the Diesel oil tanks punctured, and with fuel literally streaming from the nacelles and sponsons, the enemy gave up the fight and struggled into the obscurity of the clouds. The British aircraft then proceeded on patrol. An hour later, over 100 miles away, the same British crews encountered another enemy Dornier and again attacked. This time the fight lasted only 10 minutes before the enemy aircraft—the rear gunner hit and black oil smoke pouring from the plane—sought refuge in low cloudbanks. The oil and smoke left a trail fully a mile long. It would be surprising if either of the crippled German aircraft was capable of reaching its base. FURTHER DETAILS HELIGOLAND BIGHT ENGAGEMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11 a.m.> Yesterday was a day of almost unceasing activity over the North Sea by aircraft of the R.A.F. Considerable forces made wide searches for enemy surface craft and submarines. Besides these operations there was close reconnaissance of estuaries and fortified islands of North-west Germany. One of the sweeps—as reconnaissance flights over the sea are called—extended over Heligoland Bight, and during this operation a formation of aircraft engaged strong enemy fighting forces, at the same time encountering anti-air-craft fire from German warships. This formation left its base for the purpose of carrying out North Sea reconnaissance. Visibility was poor. For about two and a-half hours bur aircraft flew over the North Sea, .then in the distance, they saw what appeared to be warships. Closer inspection revealed a battleship and a cruiser making towards the south. Some destroyers and a submarine were also 'observed. The submarine opened fire and then dived for safety. Within a few , moments of the warships being sighted our aircraft were engaged by German fighters, and then ensued a desperate fight. The contest was not only with the enemy in the air, for the anti-aircraft guns of the ships opened fire. When the gunfire ceased another wave of fighters attacked our aircraft. Six times this happened, with- guns from the ships firing during short intervals between the fighters’ attacks. The fight pasted nearly half an hour. For the first 15 minutes it looked as though the Germans were going to escape any real punishment, but then a twin-engined Messerschmitt German fighter fell in flames into the sea. A few minutes later another German fighter met the same fate, and these two were followed by a third and' a fourth. In the engagement one of our aircraft was shot down, and two others are missing. All our other formations of aircraft returned to their base after dark, barely half an hour overdue. During a close reconnaissance of the fortified islands on the. north-west coast of Germany our aircraft, in order to obtain the information required, were at times flying just below the cloud base and at less than 100 ft above the island fortifications. • Though the sudden appearance of lowflying aircraft took the anti-aircraft defences largely by surprise, several batteries opened belated fire, but without success. Enemy fighters also came up to engage one of our aircraft, but the British pilot took cover in the prevailing low clouds, and, having eluded the fighter, emerged to continue his interrupted reconnaissance. After circling the islands our aircraft completed their task and returned safely to their bases after a successful reconnaissance of nearly five hours’ jjuxfttioix*

THE GERMAN VERSION LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11 a.m.) A Berlin, communique regarding the Heligoland Bight air battle claims that of the 20 attackers 10 were brought down by German fighters and that one German plane came down on the sea. It adds that a single British bomber which approached the air base at Borkum yesterday without dropping bombs was driven off by anti-aircraft fire. Two other planes attempted to attack the island of Sylt. All four bombs dropped in the sea. SEVERE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE R.A.F. SUCCESSFUL IN RECONNAISSANCE WORK LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 8 a.m.) Fuller official details of the Heligoland Bight air battle shows that British reconnaisseure also encountered severe anti-aircraft fire from enemy cruisers, destroyers, and a submarine. The latter opened fire before diving to safety. After that Nazi fighters repeatedly engaged our planes, but after 15 minutes a twin-engined enemy fighter crashed aflame. Three others met a similar fate. One of our planes was shot down, and two others are missing. The rest, in formation, successfully made reconnaissance flights over estuaries and fortified islands off Northwest Germany. Our machines flew sometimes less than 100 ft above the fortifications. A Press Association message says the air battle followed the Royal Air Force men’s discovery of a Nazi fleet consisting of a battleship, a cruiser, some destroyers, and a submarine at sea. Nazi planes launched six waves of attacks with a view to preventing the British planes returning with the news of their discovery. SEAPLANE BASES ATTACKED LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11 a.m.) It is officially announced that the Royal Air Force again patrolled bases at Borkum, Norderney, and Sylt last night and in the early hours of the morning. Enemy seaplanes observed at their moorings were attacked with bombs. CARRIED OUT BY SECURITY PATROL LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 1,5 p.m.) It is officially stated that the bombing of Nazi seaplanes at German bases occurred less than 12 hours after the Heligoland battle. Security patrol fighter bombers carried out the attack. U-BOAT PRISONERS THE ADMIRALTY'S LIST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 15. (Received December 16, at 10.30 a.m.) The War Office announced last night a list of six prisoners of war captured from U-boats, and a further list of six was announced this morning. SECTION OF GERMAN FLEET LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11.30 a.m.) The disclosure that Royal Air Force planes discovered a section of the German fleet in the North Sea throws new light on the Heligoland air battle. British planes, not security patrols, went on a North Sea reconnaissance and saw the warships. A few minutes later Messersohmitts engaged them. The warships fired during intervals of the air fighting. NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERMEN ARRIVE TO JOIM MINESWEEPERS LONDON, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11.30 a.m.) Lord Derby welcomed on behalf of the King 200 fishermen from Newfoundland who arrived at Liverpool to ioin the Navy and serve in minesweepers. All are bachelors, their ages ranging from 18 to 24. It is the first contingent of 625 volunteers. fHITISH TRAWLER MINED SEVENTEEN LIVES FEARED LOST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 15. (Received December 16, at 11 a.m.) The Admiralty announced that H.M.S. James Ludford, a trawler, had been mined and sunk. It is feared that two officers and 15 ratings have been lost. GERMAN DIL TANKERS SEIZURE IN DUTCH EAST INDIES PARIS, December 15. (Received December 16, at 8 a.m.) The radio reports that three German oil tankers—the VVerdenfcla (6,000 tons), the Liudeiifels (7,000), and the Wagens (unregistered, 5,000 tons) were seized at Sabang in the Dutch East Indies on behalf of a foreign company which claims large sums from German shipowners.