AERIAL DUEL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1942, Page 5

AERIAL DUEL

BRITISH DESTROYER SUNK

SIX ENEMY PLANES LOST

RUGBY, June 19.

An Admiralty communique states: “On the evening of June 17, 12 German bombers attacked His Majesty’s destroyer Wild Swan, 100 miles west of the French coast, and also attacked a Spanish trawler fleet, which was fishing in the vicinity. As the result of this attack, three Spanish trawlers were sunk and a fourth damaged. The Wild Swan shot down four Junkers -88’s, and two others, which were probably hit, collided in the air and crashed in the sea, thus half the German raiding force was destroyed. “The Wild Swan herself was damaged in the engagement, and unfortunately collided with a damaged trawler, which sank. Eleven members of the crew of the trawler, including the skipper, were rescued, and have now landed at a British port. “The Admiralty regrets to announce that the Wild Swan subsequently sank, but the crew were picked up. There was a small number of casualties.”

The destruction by the Wild Swan of six out of 12 Junkers 88’s which attacked her constitutes a record bag for a sea-air fight, it is authoritatively stated. It is not to be assumed that the destroyer was acting in protection of the Spanish trawler fleet, which happened to be in the vicinity when the attack developed. The Wild Swan was of 1120 tons, and was built in 1919. Her normal complement was 130.

ENCOUNTERS OFF COAST

RUGBY, June 19.

Four Fockewulf’s 150, were destroyed and a number of others were damaged by Spitfires in dogfights, which followed the Spitfires’ attack on three minesweepers off the Belgian coast this morning. One minesweeper was so badly damaged that our pilots saw it beached. Others were severely damaged. Three Spitfires are missing. A Basutoland Spitfire squadron made a low-level attack on a coaster off Le Havre this afternoon. Fire from the coaster was silenced, and they left the vessel obscured by great clouds of smoke looking as if she were sinking.

ENEMY BOMBER LOST

LONDON. June 19. An enemy bomber was destroyed over the Channel last night.

AWARDS TO OFFICERS

RUGBY, June 19.

A bar to the D.F.C. has been awarded to Acting Squadron Leader G. K. Gilroy, also to Acting Wing Commander P. H. Woodruff, who led a formation of bombers in the attack on the Prinz Eugen, and to eight other officers. The list also includes four D.F.M’s.