AERIAL WARFARE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1941, Page 7

AERIAL WARFARE

SLIGHT RAIDS ON BRITAIN EIGHT ENEMY PLANES LOST [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, May. 19. Two enemy machines were destroyed over Britain last night, when the raids were on a very small scale. Although bombs were dropped at two points in the south-west of England, there was no damage and there were no casualties. Off the south-east coast yesterday morning, two Messerschmitts were engaged by Spitfires and the raiders made an unsuccessful attempt to get back to their bases in France. One was destroyed and the other was severely damaged.

BRITISH LOSE FOUR PLANES. RUGBY, May 19. An official communique issued on Monday stated that “there has been some enemy air activity mainly off the east and south-east coasts, to-day, but few hostile aircraft have flown inland. In the early morning, bombs were dropped at two places on the south-west coasts. Some damage was done, and a small number of casualties were caused, some of which were fatal. Five enemy fighters were destroyed by fighters of the R.A.F. over the Channel, to-day. Four of our fighters are missing from patrol, but three of the pilots are safe. In the past 24 hours, eight enemy planes have been destroyed over and around Britain. CHANNEL ENCOUNTER. RUGBY, May 19. Four Spitfires patrolling over a convoy in the English Channel, this afternoon, met 10 ME 109’s. In the fight which followed, five Messerschmitts were shot down in as many minutes, without loss to ourselves. Two Spitfire pilots got two each, and a third the other. Only one German had time to bale out. This fight gave the pilots their revenge, for earlier in the day a formation of ME 109’s pounced on two machines of the same squadron and shot them down. Both pilots baled out, and were saved. This squadron now claims 87 victories. GREENWICH HOSPITAL HIT. (Reed. May 20, 9.45 a.m. LONDON, May 19. It is revealed that the centuriesold Manor House, Farningham, in Kent, once the home of Captain Bligh of the Bounty, was demolished in a recent raid.

The Dreadnought Hospital for seamen, Greenwich, which in the past has cared for thousands of all nationalities, including 5000 German seamen, was seriously damaged in another raid. Nurses carried out 28 patients, and had many beds available for the sailors, two days later. As indicating that the bombing of the Houses of Parliament was deliberate, a German broadcast stated that the result was to stop Mr. Churchill making any further statements in those historic buildings. KIEL AND FRENCH COAST. LONDON, May 19. Bombers of the Royal Air Force last night attacked Kiel and did further damage to the important shipbuilding yards there. The port of Emden was also bombed. An Air Ministry communique giving this news says , that machines of the Fleet Air Arm and the Coastal Command attacked the docks at Cherbourg last night. From all these operations, not one British machine is missing. Wave after wave of Royal Air Force bombers attacked the French coast from Dunkirk to Boulogne for Lie third successive night. The explosions, which were the heaviest yet heard, rocked houses on the coast of south-east England. Cap Gris Nez and Calais seemed to receive a specially h’eavy bombing.