BIG AIR BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1940, Page 7

BIG AIR BATTLE

AGAIN OVER SYLT Did Warships Take Part ? [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] - ' ! LONDON, January 18. The thunder of ■ a major. air, and possibly - also - a naval battle, began at Eerr Hitler’s chief., North Sea - air base, on the island of Syft. . Eighteen squadrons of big German planes went up from .past the northern tip of the' island. . Fighters, from Schleswig flew south and west. < ■ Antiaircraft guns blazed furiously, and heavy gunfire, resembling naval guns broke out in the Heligoland area.’

.-.Five planes, .believed, to be British, swooped from the north-west, and dropped .five bombs on Rantum and Keitum, where the Hindenburg dam railways ends. , Planes and machineguns intensive, fire. The island,towns were complete’y blacked .out, but the sky was ablaze with searchlights. The battle continues.

TWO RAIDS On Enemy Air Base WHOSE PLANES? LONDON, January 19. An eye-witness of the Sylt battle says: Fifteen German planes took off from Sylt Island.on Thursday at 6 p.m., flying towards Heligoland. There was heavy anti-aircraft fire, which lasted for thirty minutes. There ,was naval gunfire from • Heligoland. The presence of five unidentified planes at 8 p.m. is also confirmed. It is believed that two raids occurred. The Hamburg radio programme was interrupted last night, with a special announcement, recalling all of the naval personnel there to duty

NOT BRITISH PLANES LONDON, January 19. The Exchange Telegraph Agency says: It is authoritatively stated in London that there have been no Royal Air Force machines over Sylt Island.

MANY GERMAN PLANES Downed in a Recent Battle SEVERAL BRITISH PLANES LOST. (Received January 19, 9.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 19. A young Scottish Royal. Air Force sergeant-pilot describes a recent battle over'Heligoland in whi#»i, he stated, seventy-two Messerschmitt planes met British planes. The British planes shot, down “one German aftpT another —so many that I lost, count. ’ Thpre, was a terrific battle, against heavy odds. Jt lasted for fort>-nine minutes. The Messerschmitts sent down several of the British planes.

Dominion Airmen

IMPORTANT PART IN WAR.

[British. Official Wjreless.] (Received January 19, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, J’anuary 18.

The Air. Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood, has revealed that squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force will soon be taking part in active operations, in Europe,. He reviewed valuable contributions which the Dominions have already made to the Allied air strength. He said: “Our imperial training scheme will undoubtedly provide-the air forces of the Empire with facilities for training tens of thousands of keen young men as pilots and crews. GERMAN CLAIM DENIED. . -V. ■ • i k . LONDON, January 18. A Berlin communique stated: —Our Air. Force reconnoitred the Scottish coast. • , >, The British Air Ministry states there is no truth in the claim that the. Scottish coast was reconnoitred. . r.’. t .. ■ - ■ ,••■<; Balloon Barrages at Sea TO CHECK ENEMY. LONDON, January 18. Balloon barrages now protect , the strategic centres from Scotland to Land’s End, over the sea, in addition to the land. New mobile marine barrages are being extended weekly. Two types of craft are -used. One is designed to lie at anchor in key positions. The other is ’larger .and .more- seaworthy, •and is able to proceed instantly to any position where attacks are expected.- . i . . i'; TROOPSHIPS^GUARDED. BY R.A.F. COASTAL PLANES. .. RUGBY, January 18. Pilots of the Royal Air Force have assumed ; a new responsibility since leave, for the , British Expeditionary force began. , Th ey.escort.; across the Channel all leave ships, bringing troops home or taking them back to tfie front. t; -,.v • u. Troopships from Australia and Canada are met by Coastal Command. aircr.aft.-while still hundreds, ot ,milps. from these shores, and, are escorted during the remainder,.,of their voyages. .The. ship*, sail in weather which would “ground"' aircraft, : ,pn any peace-Ume schedule,, but in the wintry weather the leave ships and, troopships have never lacked an air escort.' ’' T - ' ' ■