R.A.F. RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 3 August 1940, Page 7

R.A.F. RAIDS

OVER HOLLAND Wednesday’s Operations [British Official Wireless] RUGBY August 1. In a communique, the Air Ministry records R.A.F]- over Holland, including attacks on shipping on the Dutch coasts. In the course of these raids, the British bombers were engaged by enemy fighters, two of which were shot down. One British bomber is missing. * British aircraft bombed supply depots at Osnabruck, shipping in the Zuyder Zee, and enemy aerodromes in Holland and Germany. Two British aircraft were lost in these operations. In a fight near Amsterdam, lasting over half an hour, a British bomber successfully repelled an attack by two enemy fighters, a Messerschmitt 109 and a Heinkel 112. The engagement began five miles north of Amsterdam with the enemy attacking in line astern. The bombdr dived 6000 feet to sea level. The Messerschmitt followed, and, just as it was breaking away from a stern attack, the bomber’s rear-gunner caught it with an accurate burst, and it crashed into the sea. The Heinkel then took up the attack, repeatedly using cannon and machine-guns, .in an unsuccessful effort to equal the score. The Heinkel, after 35 minutes, gave up the pursuit. Another bomber, after making a low-level attack on a barge near Tholen, at the mouth of the Scheldt, encountered two seaplanes, believed to be Heinkel 114’s, while looking tor another target. The pilot, singling out one of his adversaries, attacked from the beam at 1000 feet. The seaplane turned away, but was caught immediately by another stream of bullets, which entered the cockpit. Leaving a trail of smoke in its wake, the enemy aircraft plunged into the sea. Its .companion, observing the result of the engagement flew off. i'he bomber, resuming its interrupted quest for further targets, found and bombed another barge. A third bomber was attacked a! 2000 feet over Schipol by five Messerschmitt 109’s. The bomber repeatedly went into the clouds to evade its pursuers, and at one stage changed its course in the clouds, but found waiting to engage it one Messerschmitt 109, which sheered off after encountering a burst from the bomber’s machine-gun. Over The Hague, a further force or enemy fighters was met, but they soon broke off the engagement. .Because of low cloud and bad visibility, several British raiders failed to locate their targets, and brought back their bombs. The targets on which attacks were made included two large supply ships, five small oil tanks, and the Paderborn aerodrome, where, flying through the dense barrage put up by every type of anti-aircraft gun, an aircraft is reported to have hit the hangars with bombs. The same weather which hampered i the daylight raids persisted at night, I and, as a result, only a few night bombers succeeded in reaching their objectives. Three aircraft located an oil refinery near Hanover, where the only definite result discerned through a gap in the clouds was three bursts across the target. At Emmerich, one aircraft reported that a huge explosion followed shortly after the dropping of bombs on an oil refinery. RAIDS OVER GERMANY [British Official Wireless] RUGBY August 1. An Air Ministry communique states: R.A.F. bombers yesterday carried out daylight attacks on military objectives in Germany, and on shipping on the German coasts. Oil refineries at Misburg, near Hanover and Emmerich, near the Dutch and German frontiers, were attacked by bombers last night. There were encounters between medium bombers and enemy aircraft during yesterday’s daylight raids on German aerodromes. THE GERMAN ACCOUNT EIGHT BRITISH PLANES LOST ON WEDNESDAY. BERLIN, August 1. A German communique states: - We shot down three more planes during British raids over Nor/my, Denmark and Holland. Enemy planes bombed northern and western Germany last night, and caused slight damage. A plane dropped a number of bombs in the centre of Hanover, far from military objectives. Several houses were damaged, and several persons killed or inj .ired. The enemy altogether lost eight planes yesterday. U.S.A. BOMBERS FOR BRITAIN LONDON, July 31. Arrangements have been completed for the flight of the first long-range American bombers across the Atlantic to Britain. These machines have been purchased by Britain, and are to be used in the aerial attack on Germany. Referring to the expected arrival of American bombers, the Secretary of State for India (Mr L. S. Amery) said that day by day Britain was approaching the stage when she would have undoubted aerial supremacy over Germany, just as she now had naval supremacy. With The increase in her resources, and her airstrength fully developed, she woulci soon be able to attack the enemy on land and choose her own targets.