RUNNING BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 26 November 1941, Page 5

RUNNING BATTLE

, BRITISH BOMBERS NAZI FIGHTERS DOWN ATTACK ON CONVOY (Britlbh OfTw.ml Wireless.) Reed. 10.30 a.m. RUGBY, Nov. 25. A running 25-minute fight betweer eight ME 109’s and two Stirlings followed the bombing of a German convoy off the Dutch coast yesterday afternoon, says the Air Ministry News Service. One Stirling shot down a Messerschmitt in flames and the other Stirling claims two of the fighters as probably destroyed. They were last seen only 1000 ft. above the sea diving vertically, with smoke streaming from them. This Stirling’s guns damaged a third fighter. South of Borkum, a convoy of seven merchant ships, the largest of them about 7,000 tons, was sighted. At least 20 batteries opened up from the ships with concentrated A.A fire.

In the thick of the barrage bombs were dropped. By this time the ships were scattering in all directions. One Stirling was hit three times and a shell damaged the mechanism of the bomb doors so that they could not be closed. Another put the starboard engine out of action and a third sprayed the aircraft with shell fragments. In spite of this the wing-commander dived and machine-gunned two ships. Power was still further reduced by the port outer engine giving out, but an hour later she reached the basb.