R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1939, Page 8

R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

MOST SUCCESSFUL WEEK. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] (Recd. December 11, 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, December 10. Unofficial air. authorities here point out that last week has been one of the most successful since the outbreak of the war, for the Royal Air Force. During the last seven days there have been a daring and successful raid on Heligoland, three enemy submarines have been attacked, of which two were sunk and the third almost certainly damaged if not sunk, a successful reconnaissance flight by the Royal Air Force over north-west Germany, enemy I'econnaissance aircraft were successfully attacked and forced to turn back after at least five were hit by British fighters, and finally among the outstanding achievements there was dramatic rescue work by coastal command pilots, who brought ship? to. the help- of seven seamen clinging to rafts. Not one British, plane was lost as a result of these activities.

ENEMY ’PLANES SIGHTED.

LONDON, December 10.

Two German ’planes were sighted above Suffolk, flying at a great height. They came from the north, and poceeded in a south-easterly direction, emitting clouds of white smoke. No sirens were sounded, and nc gunfire was heard. Gunfire was heard on the south-east coast, and lasted for 15 minutes. A number of Royal Air Force fighters, flying very high, were seen going out to sea, believed to be in pursuit of a German reconnaisseur.

BRITISH PILOT ESCAPES.

BRUSSELS, December 10.

A British reconnaissance plane had a forced landing 200 yards from the Belgium frontier, near Tournai. The flier grabbed documents from his plane and bolted successfully to France, abandoning, his plane.