IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1940, Page 5

IN THE AIR

GREAT WORK BY R.A.F. BOMBERS. (United Press Association—By Electri Telegraph—Copyright). (Received this day at 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 20. The Air Ministry states R.A.F. bombers destroyed over thirty German planes yesterday. Sixteen of our planes are missing. A squadron of eleven hurricanes yesterday engaged an , armada of ninety bombers and twen-ty-one fighters on the Western Front. They shot down three bombers and eight fighters. The others made off without dropping bopibs. Seven Hurricanes have not returned. R.A.F. REPORT. OF WONDERFUL GALLANTRY.

(Received this day at 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, May 20. The Air Ministry announced this evening: The bomber aircraft of the R.A.F. maintained pressure on the enemy lines of communication last night. Oil refineries in north-west Germany were also successfully attacked. South of Brussels operations were carried out against railway stations and bridges. The railway bridge at Roux sustained a direct hit. Damage was done to rolling stock and the permanent way. ( Tank concentrations were attacked in the Aisne sector. Near Sedan a lorry park was set on fire. In all these operations, involving a large number of R.A.F. bombers, only two have failed to return, in spite of intense enemy antiaircraft fire. ", An aerodrome at Vaernes, north of Trondheim, was also successfully attacked last night. A large number of enemy aircraft standing’ out on an aerodrome were repeatedly bombed and machine-gun-ned by relays of Hudson aircraft. Much damage is believed to have been done. Seven fires were started. From our fighter aircraft day by day, come stories of matchless courage. All day long they are called upon to engage superior forces of enemy, 1 and drive off formations of bombers which continually harass the Allied troops and attack their fighters’ escort. From almost every engagement they return, buying , fjefivy losses on the enemy, and immediately take off again to renew the struggle. Thus in patrols over France and Belgium yesterday one squadron of Hurricanes sighted over. 100 enemy aircraft. In a series of combats they disposed of 11 eight of which were enemy fighters. One young pilot who took on four' Heinkel Ill’s, one after another, destroyed three of them. Reports so far received confirm that 30 enemy aircraft were destroyed by the R.A.F. yesterday and many others were heavily damaged. Victories against such odds are not won without loss, and 14 of our fighters are missing.

DUTCH CHARGES. MONSTROUS ENEMY BOMBING. PARIS, May 20. The Dutch Legation here has issn.ed a statement that at least 100,000, or one-fifth of the city’s population, wore killed, and that one-third of the city was destroyed, when the Germans bonibed Rotterdam. The Legation says that two squadrons of German bom her sj in close formation, dropped delayed action bombs on the city, which ploughed a furrow of destruction. The bombers returned many times, continuing their monstrous destruction. DIEPPE BOMBED. PARIS, May 20. The port of Dieppe, in France, in the direction of the German drive, was on Saturday night bombed for two hours by enemy planes. Only one person was killed. On Sunday in north-east France, there were six air raid warnings sounded* RAIDS IN GERMANY. LONDON. May 20 The British Air Ministry reports as follows: —R.A.F. bombing operations were continued on Sunday night, against enemy lines of communication in the south of Belgium, and also against selected military objectives in western Germany. . - I ATTACK ON PARIS. PARIS, May 18. Sixteen German bombers, operating > in two flights of eight each, attacked 1 the north-west of France. In the Paris ' region French fighters brought down 1 one, and anti-aircraft guns downed three. All four crashed in. the suburbs of Paris. RAIDER OVER S.E. ENGLAND. 1 1 LONDON, May 19. f A German plane circled over the l south-east coast of England for half f