RAMMED BOMBER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20629, 9 August 1941, Page 5

RAMMED BOMBER

BRITISH FIGHTER BATTLE OVER SEA PILOT SACRIFICES LIFE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 10 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 8. The story of a pilot who, flying at dusk, destroyed a Dornier bomber by ramming it, thereby sacrificing his own life, can now be told. The pilot and a comrade were on patrol off the south-west coast when they sighted a German bomber about a mile ahead, too far away to be definitely identified at the time. But towards the coast the leader of the two Hurricanes came up to close range. When the enemy air gunner saw him he opened fire, and the fighter pilot identified the aircraft. Then he and his comrade attacked from alternative sides and saw bullets entering the enemy’s wing. The German bomber climbed towards the cloud with the Hurricane leader firing into it. The cloud base was very low and it was clear to both fighter pilots that the bomber stood a good chance of getting away. “I saw my comrade attacking from below,” said the Hurricane leader. “He pressed home the attack until the Dornier reached the cloud base. Then, as it looked like disappearing, he crashed straight into.it. I saw a large part of his machine fall off after the collision and the rest dived into the sea. I circled the spot and, while doing so, saw the blazing Dornier plunge into the water.”