R.A.F.’S BRILLIANT WORK

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 7

R.A.F.’S BRILLIANT WORK

“MOST VALUABLE SERVICE” LOSSES SURPRISINGLY LOW [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, April 15. The Air Ministry announced: Reconnaissance off the Norwegian coast has continued throughout, giving a most-valuable service. Here it is too, that enemy transports and ammunition ships have been attacked. At the same time as aircraft of the coastal command were scouring the northern seas to locate those German naval vessels which thus fai* had escaped destruction by the Royal Navy, long-range fighters were attacking aerodromes in southern Norway, to which the invader had been carrying troop reinforcements. Much damage has been done to assembled enemy aircraft, and successful attacks have also been made on the enemy seaplanes at anchor in the fiords.

So far, there has been no opportunity for a direct air attack against enemy air transports. These are convoyed by day. Despite unfavourable weather conditions, the Stavanger aerodrome has again been bombed. Several sections of R.A.F. aircraft were engaged, all of which returned safely. Official communiques issued by the Air Ministry during last week did not convey the full extent of the work of the R.A.F. Reconnaissances have been conducted day and night, and every Norwegian fiord which could possibly shelter enemy craft, has been examined.

While the Navy has been exerting itself, with splendid results already known in the northernmost parts of the Norwegian coast, it is to the south of Bergen that patrols of the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Arm have given their attention. The Germans have large numbers of fighters, and would have to be engaged by numbers approaching their own, but which would be operating at many times the distance from their bases of the German machines. For the present, more fruitful employment is available for the air forces employed on the Allied side, for operations in the north.

R.A.F. reconnaissance flights over northern Germany are, of course, proceeding as usual, and valuable information has been brought back from recent flights. While no information is yet available, it may be assumed that R.A.F. patrols co-operated in the landings effected by British forces. It is understood that the losses suffered by the R.A.F. in these operations over Norway, at a great distance from the home bases, have been surprisingly low, when all the relevant factors are taken into account.

EXPLOSION AT STAVANGER. RUGBY, April 15. The pilot of one of the British aircraft engaged in the latest attack on Stavanger reported seeing a sudden red glow, apparently caused by a big explosion. The air. he ; added, “was simply alive with blue and orang;' searchlights, rockets and shells which burst into groups lot' four bluish-white stars. We sailed through it all, and dropped our bombs' right on the target. My rear-gunner sprayed bullets down the beam of one searchlight which picked us up. The light went out at once, and remained out.” TWO PLANES SUNK. RUGBY, April 15. At least two German seaplanes were sunk at Stavanger on Monday, when the aeroplane and seaplane base was again raided by Blenheims. The seaplanes were at their moorings, when they were machine-gunned by British aircraft. Shortly afterwards, our pilots saw them founder. The Blenheims also dropped heavy bombs on Stavanger aerodrome, adding to the damage done in previous raids. The attack was made in a snowstorm. The British aircraft had also to fly through cloud and rainstorms for a large part of the North Sea crossing. NORWEGIAN SUCCESSES LONDON, April 15. Norwegian naval headquarters say that naval forces shot down three German aeroplanes. The crews were taken prisoner. Another made a forced landing in southern Norway and three more made forced landings in .Sweden. GERMAN CLAIMS. LONDON, April 15. The German High Communique says: Our fighters at Bergen shot down two British planes, which had sunk merchantmen. German Messerschmitts brought down two British planes at Stavanger. One British plane was brought down near the Dutch-German frontier. Another British plane crashed near Offenburg. German naval units in the Skagerrak sank two submarines, making seven sunk in the past few days. “FRIGHTFULNESS.” (Recd. April 16, 12.45 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, April 15. The ‘Handelsblad’s” Berlin correspondent says that officials are hinting at a deliberate bombardment of British towns. This answer has been promised for the British bombing of Bergen. The campaign to build a reputation for frightfulness of the Allies includes indignant Press allegations, that the British) machine-gunned German sailors swimming in Narvik Harbour. AUCKLANDER MISSING. AUCKLAND, April 15. Cabled advice has been received that Flying Officer Kenneth John Allan Johnstone, a son of Mr J. L. Johnstone, of Manurewa, is missing and is believed to have been killed, after operations on Friday. Flying Officer Johnstone attended Auckland Grammar School. He left New Zealand in August, 1937, with one of the earliest detachments sent from the Dominion to the Royal Air Force, having obtained his civil pilot’s licence. He attended a school of navigation at Marston, and on passing out, was posted to the 106th BomberSquadron as navigator. At first, he was stationed at Thoraby, Yorkshire, and at the outbreak of war he was transferred to Wellington, Lincolnshire. He was an enthusiastic musician, and played in a Bohemian orchestra while still, a schoolboy.

OTHER CASUALTIES. LONDON, April 15. The first casualty list of the R.N.Z.A.F. is as follows:—Corporal J. H. Langridge, of Gisborne, reported missing on active service, while participating in his ‘second Norwegian raid on April 11. Corporal Langridge was wireless operator in a bomber which previously participated in raids on German ports. Other New Zealand casualties are:—

Flying Officer K. J. A. Johnson, of Auckland', missing, and believed killed. Pilot Officer D. A. Rankin, of Weir lington, missing, and believed killed.

Pilot Officer G. J. D. Yorke, of Foxton, missing.