NAZI FLYERS’ BID

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20625, 28 November 1941, Page 7

NAZI FLYERS’ BID

BOLT IN R.A.F. PLANE

ESCAPE FROM CAMP FORCED DOWN ON COAST (Elec. Te!. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 27, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 26. An official inquiry is being held into the incident in which two German airmen escaped from a British prison camp and obtained possession of a plane with the apparent object of setting out for Germany, and were then recaptured. The Evening News says that the .Germans flew a Royal Air Force Miles Magister training plane 250 miles before they were forced down near the east coast. They posed as Dutch airmen and were being entertained in a Royal Air Force mess in East Anglia when they were re-arrested. The Miles Magister had a range of 600 miles, but the petrol tank was only half full. The Germans were unable to attempt a straight. flight to Germany, so they flew hugging the coast and intending to reduce the sea crossing to a minimum. When forced down they told the authorities they were engaged in special training. The older prisoner posed as an instructor. Their very circumstantial story at first was believed. The Germans were taken to a Royal Air Force aerodrome where, while the plane was being serviced, they were given a meal. An official signal warning all aerodromes to watch out for a missing plane came out while the Germans were dining. The commander of the aerodrome promptly invited the guests to take off their overcoats, and then found they were wearing Luftwaffe tunics.