R.A.F OFFENSIVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 May 1942, Page 5

R.A.F OFFENSIVE

BOULOGNE AREA SWEPT ENEMY SHIPPING ATTACKED LONDON. May 24. The Royal Air Force’s daylight offensive in northern France, which had been interrupted in the last few days by bad weather, was resumed on Saturday, when there was a sweep by several wings over the Boulogne area. Only one wing met- any serious opposition from the enemy. In the case of the others the enemy turned away as soon as Spitfires climbed to meet them. One enemy fighter was destroyed. Two Royal Air Force fighters are missing. v Spitfires were out over the English Channel again on Friday night. They engaged enemy shipping at Le Havre and Pieppe. A German E-boat was attacked and smoke poured from her. Two other vessels were attacked and their decks raked with machine-gun fire.

Though the weather over Britain and Europe has been responsible for a recent pause in Britain’s bombing offensive against distant targets in Germany, the bombers have not stood idle. On nights when bombing of Germany has been impossible there has been much mine-laying activity in waters frequented by the enemy. If the results of this work could be made known the public would realise that the highly skilled work of the crews engaged in these operations is being rewarded by serious damage to enemy shipping. RAIDERS OVER ENGLAND LONDON, May 24. One enemy aircraft was destroyed when enemy aircraft dropped a few bombs on the west and south of England on Saturday afternoon. Three persons were slightly injured. There was a small amount of damage. One enemy aeroplane was over north-east England to-day, but was chased away by fighters. There was nothing to report during the hours of hardness.

Ancient stained glass windows of Bath’s magnificent abbey were smashed by olast in the recent Luftwaffe raid. The eastern window, known as the “Lantern of England,” is smashed. The Abbey’s church house has been destroyed as have the historic forum school and new Catholic church. A stick of bombs heavily damaged St. Bartholomew’s ?n H a hole was blown in the roof of Holy Trinity and the organ loft damageu. St. Andrew’s and New King Street Methodist Church were also damaged. Some of the Georgian architecture, for which Bath is famous, was destroyed. germa’ndevice (Recd. 11.25 a.m.) BERNE, May 24. The latest German anti-aircraft invention consists of a floating parachute barrage. An aerial mine is projected like an anti-aircraft shell, and after the explosion, a cable about 230 yards long, attached to a parachute, is unfurled, with a charge of explosive suspended to the end of the cable. It is claimed that when a plane approaches, the air-stream drags the parachute forward, and the explosive bursts against the plane. Mobility makes the barrage more dangerous than fixed balloons. It is also claimed that the invention was used successfully during R.A.F. raids. FLEET OF FLYING-BOATS (Recd. 11.25) NEW YORK, May 24. That great fleets of flying-boats, the world’s largest, will help America to win the war, is the prediction of Mr. Glenn Martin, the airolane manufacturer, wffio stated that after the war, fleets of 250.000 lbs. to 500,000 lbs. planes would be commercial transports, whose capacity would be limited only by the daily volume of cargo to be carried. When the Army and Navy received the new equipment being manufactured—the world’s deadliest fighters and bombers—America would advance to victory. Mr. Martin has just completed designs for a flying-boat of 250,000 lbs. carrying 102 passengers and crew, 12 of which will fly from New York to London in 13 hours. OTTAWA CONFERENCE TRAINING OF AIR-CREWS OTTAWA, May 23. The Empire air training conference was concluded to-day. At a joint press conference, members said that the only concrete agreement which could be announced was the establishment of the combined committee. Australia’s non-participation on this was not explained. The Canadian Air Minister (Mr. Power) said that there should not be a repetition of the conditions ol > Battle for Britain, when the pilots were required to go up again and again without a proper rest because of a shortage of air crews. Two reports on the conference will be issued, one for the public, of a general nature, and the other containing detailed conclusions for official guidance. General Barton Young (United States) said that no progress had been made towards pooling air crews. It is believed that greater efficiency can be obtained by airmen fighting under the flags of their respective countries. Both General Young and Captain H. H. Balfour (Britain) intimated that the discussion was directed toward training air crews for a master plan formulated by the United Nations High Command, but they declined to discuss the nature of the plan. Reporters asked Captain Balfour: Are you satisfied that the United Nations can wipe the Axis air forces from the skies? Captain Balfour replied: I have never doubted that we would do that eventually, but we may do it sooner as a result of this conference. Captain Balfour said that the second phase of the conference with the Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand Governments, on the British Commonwealth air training plan will continue into next week.