R.A.F. RETALIATES

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1939, Page 7

R.A.F. RETALIATES

ON GERMAN NAVAL BASE EMDEN RAID REPORTED [BY CABLE PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, October IS. Reports from Holland state that the German naval base at Emden was raided yesterday. Eye-witnesses’ estimates of the number of machines engaged vary from four to 40. Mist prevented the Dutch watchers seeing clearly, but smoke from the German batteries could be seen rising into the air. Many explosions were heard, rattlingwindows 1 in Dutch villages. Another report says that the raids lasted from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. It is believed that Wilhelmshaven was also raided. German officials at Emden admit that British aircraft attempted to penetrate the German air defences but were driven off.

FIRTH OF FORTH RAID. EXPENSIVE FOR ENEMY. LONDON, October 18. Authoritative British Naval circles express the opinion that the Firth of Forth air-raid cost the enemy possibly 60 per cent, of the forces that they had engaged. The Germans have claimed that they hit two British cruisers, whereas they hit one with a bomb, but the bomb did not explode. BRITISH CASUALTIES. RUGBY, October 18. The Admiralty announces that one further death has occurred as the result of the raid in the Firth of Forth. The casualties now number 16 dead and 40 wounded. OFFICERS SURPRISED. FLYING UNARMED PLANE (Recd. Oct. 19, 10.30 a.m.). RUGBY, October 18. Some fuller details are now available regarding Monday’s enemy airraid on the South-East of Scotland. At least two of the four enemy aircraft, accounted for in this raid, were shot down by British aircraft. Apart from these four brought down by British fighters and by anti-aircraft and naval gunfire, several are thought to have been too crippled to complete the passage of the North Sea. No pilot claims to have brought down one of Monday’s raiders singlehanded.. Their defeat was a team job.

Only one hit was registered by the Germans —an armour-piercing bullet through the cowling of one of our fighters. It did no damage and is now in the pilot’s possession. The most surprised men in the action were two British officers, who happened to be flying an unarmed civil-type two-seater ’plane over the Firth of Forth. Seeing a.large aircraft diving near them, they thought the pilot was being sportive, and dived themselves. The German bomber and the British aircraft then suddenly recognised each ofher. A burst of fire sent the two British airmen back home in a hurry, and the German bomber, apparently just as startled, disappeared into a cloud.

RAIDERS DRIVEN OFF. SCAPA FLOW RECONNAISSANCE. (Received October 19, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 18. The Air Ministry announced that enemy aircraft, apparently on a reconnaissance flight, were seen approaching Scapa Flow from the direction of Kirkwall and Duncansby Head. No bombs were dropped. Anti-aircraft guns peppered the sky when the raiders appeared over Caithness, and aircraft engaged them over the sea off Duncansby Head. The raiders were driven off, but returned half an hour later, making for Scapa Flow, but were again driven off. ORKNEYS WARNING. LONDON, October 18. An air-raid warning was sounded in the Orkneys, this morning. The “all clear” was sounded after an hour.