OVER 100 BOMBERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20638, 19 August 1941, Page 5

OVER 100 BOMBERS

R.A.F. NIGHT RAID BREMEN AND DUISBURG FIGHTERS* DAY SWEEPS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Presa Aasn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 10.30 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 18. “Though the weather was again unfavourable, a force of over 100 aircraft of the' Bomber Command last night carried out attacks on west and north-west Germany,” states ■an Air Ministry communique. “The main objectives were the port of Bremen and the industrial districts of Duisburg. Many large fires were started. One of our bombers is missing.” In a day of sustained offensives, pilots of the Fighter Command destroyed seven enemy fighters and damaged many others, states the Air Ministry news service. The bombers had been escorted to attack shipping off the French coast. “Flak” ships had been hit and sweeps canned out in which the fighters machine-gunned enemy aircraft on the ground. Two New Zealand pilots found an escort of 10 Messerschmitts protecting an enemy convoy. They attacked and saw their fire hitting the enemy aircraft. A Spitfire squadron then arrived and the Messerschmitts- fled-. Another squadron Was ordered to attack a “flak” ship in the convoy. The escort pressed home the attack low across the ship’s deck in face of terrific fire.

Another Spitfire squadron reports the breaking up of formations in combats which stretched from Cap Gris Nez to Boulogne. They attacked 15 Messerschmitt 109’s and destroyed three without loss to themselves. It is officially announced that this afternoon Bomber Command Blenheims, accompanied by a fighter escort, bombed industrial targets at Lille.