FIGHT OVER CHANNEL

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1940, Page 8

FIGHT OVER CHANNEL

BRITISH SURPRISE ITALIANS [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, December 6. Details have been given, in a broadcast talk, of the fight with Italian aeroplanes over the Channel, by the commanding officer of an auxiliary fighter squadron, who was one of the first pilots to open fire on enemy aircraft over Britain, and led his squadron during the time it has destroyed a total of 91 victims. Explaining how he was forced to fly at the rear of the squadron, owing to engine trouble, the pilot said that this accident enabled him to see the details of the battle. The pilot said: “We were on a southerly course, approaching Dover, when we were warned to look out for a formation of Italian aircraft Every man was immediately on the alert. After a couple of minutes, we saw eiwn? aircraft flying south-west down the Channel. They were still some distance away and 1000 feet below us. They were Italian fighters, CR42’s, and were well over the sea, flying at about 20,000 feet. When I first had a good look at them, they gave me the impression of a pßrty out on a quiet little jaunt. “There were about 20 of them, flying along quite happily in good formation. When our leader gave the order to attack, and told us to sweep round and down on their tails, we were in a' very advantageous position. Our machines must be about 100 m.p.h. faster than the Italian fighters, and it was dead easy to overtake them and to blaze away. They were flying in a wide, fan-like formation, and when we went to attack, each of our pilots selected a particular target. You can imagine how effective the first gunner’s bursts were, when I tell you that one pilot at one time saw six Italian fighters either on fire or spinning downwards towards the sea. The Italians showed fight in a way the Germans have never done with our squadron. It is true, though, that they seemed amateurish in their reactions. By that, I mean they were slow to realise that we were anywhere near them, until it was too late. After a short while, the Italians were dodging this way and that, to escape as best they could. One of them broke formation, and turned towards France. I chased him and fired at him several times. I believe I hit him, and could have finished him off if my engine had not begun to splutter again when I was half-way across the Channel. The whole fight lasted only 10 or 15 minutes.” , <