NIGHT FIGHTER WORK

Evening Star, Issue 24016, 15 October 1941, Page 8

NIGHT FIGHTER WORK

SOUASHON LEADER’S EXPERIEHCES GOOD USE MADE OF HAVOC PLAHES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 13. In a broadcast a squadron leader who has definitely destroyed four German bombers by night over their own aerodromes, and has many probables also to his credit, described work upon winch he was recently engaged. “ The success of night fighter work over enemy aerodromes, for winch Havocs are mainly employed,’ he said, “ should not be judged by the number of enemy aircraft they destroy. Large though this is, I know positively that our mere presence over the enemy s bases has caused lie loss of German bombers without even a shot being fired at them. Moreover, our presence upsets the Luftwaffe bomber organisation, throws their plans out of order in many ways, and has a big effect on the morale of the bomber crews themselves.” Describing what happens over enemy aerodromes at night, the officer stated: On goes the flares, and the bomber ooxnes low, making a circuit of the landing field with its lights on and the throttle shut. A mile or two away in our stalling Havoc we feel out hearts heat. The throttle is banged open, the stick is thrust forward, and the Havoc is tearing down in an irresistible rush. One short burst from the guns is usually sufficient. The bomber glides and turns to dive—the last dive it is likely to make. Whether you get a Hun or miss him, he frequently piles up on the ground through making his landing in fright.”

SUCCESS DECRIBED. Describing one of his successes, the squadron leader said: “It was the night of the last big raid'on London, and the Huns were streaming back to their bases in swarms. I got a crack at a JU as, with its navigation lights on, it came down to land, and the bullets appeared to enter the starboard engine and fuselage of the bomber. My downward rush carried us over the JU some 10ft above it, and as we passed my rear gunner poured a long stream of bullets into the port engine. and the bomber went into an almost vertical dive. She was only 800 ft up, and it was practically impossible that the pilot could Have pulled out of the"3ive, apart from the fact that both his engines were damaged, but we only claimed the JU as a probable. After this, the aerodrome lights were turned off. Wo climbed away, and the lights came on again, so we bombed the aerodrome, and large fires resulted. The aerodrome lights were again put out, but there were numerous bombers still trying to land. We came down to I,oooft and saw an ME 111. • I opened fire, close in. The bullets entered one engine and the fuselage, and after the second burst smoke poured from both engines, and it went into s steep side-slipping turn. As we passed beneath her the gunner put another burst into the beast. “ BLEW TO BITS.” “ Then one night near St. Leger, after we had bombed the aerodrome at Douai, we met a huge Focke-Wulf Condor four-engined transport. It had its navigation lights on, and was about to land. At only 50yds range I put a good burst into the transport’s belly. It was all that was necessary. The Condor gave out an enormous flash of light, bunt into flames, and blew to bits, and burning debris flew past my aircraft on all sides.”

ALBERT HALL YOUTH RALLY SCORE OF NATIONS REPRESENTED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 13.. A deep impression was created here by an international youth rally in Albert Hall, which brought together 5,000 young people from a score of nations, collaborating with the support of their respective Governments and councils. The meeting expressed united determination to fight together in the common cause and showed that youth realised the urgency of the present situation and) the weight of their own responsibility. ‘ The Times,’ while agreeing with the Minister of Labour’s words to the meet* ing that the immediate task is to slay the dragon, adds: “There is also the task of the future. If this movement could provide a new source of inspiration and a genuine basis for co-opera-tion between the youth of all lands, it ■would help to prepare them for their future responsibilities. If it promoted also close co-ordination, first, in the field of education in the broadest sense and pointed the way to a more imagi- « native understanding of the capabilities and aspirations of youth, both by the leaders of youth organisations and hy political parties, it would rendter a yahiaWe service with lasting effects.”

RELIEF FOR OCCUPIED COUNTRIES DESPATCH OF FOODSTUFFS (British Official Wireless.) '(Sec. 11.20 a.m.) RUGBY, Get. 14. Asked in the House of Commons jwkether in view of the despatch to Orseoe of 50,000 tons of foodstuffs and anedicaj supplies under assurances by jblp German andl Italian Governments jChut safe passage would be accorded and a guarantee given that those supplies would- not be diverted to other purposes, similar arrangements should be made for the relief of other British allies in the occupied countries threatened with starvation during the coming winter, the Minister of Economic Warfare (Mr Dalton) said that he welcomed the opportunity of making it clear that the recent arrangements regarding Greece did not involve anydeparture from the general policy of His Majesty’s Government. “We did not allow foodstuffs to he shipped through the blockade,” he_ added, “ hut subject bo suitable conditions wfe have no objection to purchase by onr Ames of foodstuffs inside the blockade area for the relief of their peoples. These principles are, of course, impartially applied and certain other occupied territories have alreday benefited by their application. His Majesty’s Government maintains that it is the responsibility of the enemy to feed the peoples he has enslaved and l remains convinced that it would not be possible to allow foodstuffs to reach those territories through the blockade without defeating the objects of the economic warfare.”