R.A.F. BOMBERS BUSY

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1940, Page 8

R.A.F. BOMBERS BUSY

OVER THREE COUNTRIES ENEMY CONSTANTLY HARASSED [BY CABLE —PRESS AS. N. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received June 13, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, June 12. An Air Ministry communique states: During yesterday medium bombers of the R.A.F. made repeated attacks on enemy motor transport columns, armoured fighting vehicles, and troop concentrations,-in the loops Qf the Seine east of Rouen and the movements were harassed, both by adjacent wooded areas. The enemy s bombing and low-flying machine-gun attacks. In the course of these operations, two enemy fighters were shot down. Four of our aircraft are missing. Night operations included the bombing of key points such as railway junctions and ammunition dumps in the rear of the fighting zone, from • the sea to the Meuse. Enemy concentrations in the neighbourhood of the Seine were again bombed. The crossings of the Somme suffered further damage, and woods were set on fire in the Hirson-Givet area. Other aircraft attacked military objectives at Cologne and elsewhere in western Germany.

One of our heavy bombers is missing from the Northern Italy operations.

Our fighters were active " over France, yesterday.. At least eight enemy aircraft 'Were destroyed. One of our fighters is missing.

100 BOMBS A MINUTEf

RUGBY, June 12.

High-explosive -and'’ incendiary bombs were dropped at at the rate of over 100 per minute, during one tenminute action yesterday by R.A.F. medium bombers, in one series of attacks directed against enemy concentrations advancing on the lower Seine, south-east of Rouen.

Attacking in sections, at heights varying from 6000 to 800 feet, the R.A.F. released salvoes of bombs on their targets, wrecking convoys, scattering mechanised columns, blocking road junctions, and setting woods ablaze. Hits were scored on a column of lorries near Les, and at Lys 20 armoured fighting vehicles on the road one mile south-east of the town received a full salvo of high-explosive bombs. Ten large tanks standing by the roadside at Suzay, were enveloped in smoke and flying debris, when heavy-calibre bombs exploded on the road. Other targets successfully attacked during this ten minutes’ intensive assault included an anti-air-craft battery near Les and Lys, and a mechanised column at Racheville. At the height of this raid, one ( bomber’s starboard 1 air-screw was shot off and the engine disabled, but, after dropping their bombs on the targets, the crew returned safely on one undamaged engine. \ FRENCH ACTIVITY HEINKEL FACTORY ABLAZE LONDON, June 12. The French communique stated: — Our air squadrons bombed the air fields at Mannheim, Neustadt and Frankfurt and the smelting works at Volkingen. Formations of our naval ’planes bombed and set on fire the Heinkel works, near Rostock, on the Baltic Coast. Our Air Force was fully active on the main front. It attacked an armoured unit in the Seine Valley and at Argonne destroyed numerous tanks and dispersed columns. Despite unfavourable weather, our ’planes attacked military objectives. We were successful in numerous aerial combats. HEINKEL CRASHED. DUEL OFF KENT COAST. RUGBY, June 12. The Air Ministry states: A Spitfire pilot dived more than 11,000 feet, to make the first attack on the Heinkel 111 which was shot down off the Kent coast shortly after 8 a.m. to-day. After firing the whole of his ammunition, he saw the Heinkel dive into a cloud, with black smoke pouring from its port engine. A second Spitfire took up the chase, followed closely by two more. They could see the Heinkel, staggering low over the water, with its tail splashing the surface repeatedly as the pilot tried in vain to continue his flight. Finally, the fleinkel came to rest jji the sea, and two members of the crew were seen to climb out into a dinghy. They were picked up, and are now in hospital in a Kent coastal town.

GERMAN CLAIMS. (Recd. June 13, 1.15 p.m.) BERLIN, June 12. The High Command states: Our Air Force on June 11 sank seven transports, and damaged ten. Enemy planes raided western Germany, last night, and dropped incendiary bombs in the middle of one town. The British unsuccessfully attacked Bergen and Trondheim, and lost four planes. The total enemy losses yesterday were 39 machines. Three more barrage balloons were shot down.' Three of our planes are missing. PILOT DEERE’S EXPLOITS. (Received June 13, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 12. Pilot Officer Alan Christopher Deere (grandson of Mr. J. Deere, of Greymouth), 22, has been awarded the D.F.C. During May, Deere engaged in seven combats, often against superior numbers. He shot down five planes, and assisted in the destruction of others. Once, 12 Messerschmitts attacked a training plane which was going to Calais to rescue the squadron leader, who had been shot down there. Pilot Officer Deere 'and another pilot were escorting the training plane, and immediately fought back. Three Messerschmitts were shot down, and three were seriously damaged. Pilot. Officer Deere displayed courage and determination in all the encounters. He joined the R.A.F. as a pupil pilot in 1938.