R.A.F. OPERATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1940, Page 5

R.A.F. OPERATIONS

ATTACK ON ENEMY

SEVERE DAMAGE DONE.

(United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright!.,

LONDON, July 13

Huge fires, visible for 70 miles, broke out at Emden, after R.A.F. heavy bdmbers dropped 20 tons of bombs there over a wide area, in a daring night raid. A terrific explosion at Kiel dockyards marked another successful nocturnal attack. Bomber pilots swiftly took advantage of excellent visibility. An observer said the German ground defences provided the warmest reception to date, and put up a solid stream of shells.' The, first -raider on- Emden followed the course of the canal, and dropped flares before releasing its bombs, ft hovered over the target for an hour while comrades released more salvoes of high explosives. One ’plane evaded a German concentration of 200 searchlights, and made a successful low le,vel attack.

Medium bombers dropped of bombs on closely-packed fleets,, of barges on the .Ostend-Bruges canal. : A large barge was blown to pieces, ,aiid scores of others seriously damaged. The bombers came home leaving burning barges, •petroleiim sheds set on fire, and docks and aerbdromes' pockmarked with boinb craters. : 1

BRITISH PILOT’S ACCOUNT.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, July 13. A young fighter pilot gave at broadcast account of his part in Wednesday’s biggest air battle in the English

Channel, when 14 ,r enemy aircraft'were ■' destroyed and 23 seriously damaged. The pilot, 'whose!squadron thfetday shot down their 50th. enemy... aircraft, destroyed one Messerschmitt 109, and helped to destroy a Dornier 215.' Twenty-four Dorniers, escorted by even a larger, number of fighters, were bombing a British convoy . when R.A.F. fighters went-into action, the!pilot said. “The- first bunch,/ of . bombers had already‘ dropped, their bombs when wo got there, -V he said,- “and-the second formatipii . was, about ,togo - in. The third wave never-delivered an aftgck •at all. .It, was. a .thrilling sight. .There were two distinct, lines of disturbed water near the,, ships, and just ri ahead. were fountains-iof water leaping skywards- from bombs nearby. I .had just attacked a Hornier when, I saw a Messerschmitt 109 come hurtling at me from above. I made a quick turn and dived after him. I had to do 400 miles an hour to get' him wipin' rangm Before I could fire he flattened out not more than 50 feet above sea level, and went streaking for home. I followed him, and we were still,doing.a goo.d. 400 miles an hour, when I pressed The gun button again very deliberately. Suddenly, the Messerschmitt’s' port wing dropped down, the starboard- wing went up, and then,, in a, flash, his nose went down', and he was gone. He simply van.ishe.tji into the sqa:: I had npi time to look round for him. because, almost at this precise .moment, be dis- | appeared .from my gun. sights, I felt a. sting in the. leg .paused, by a splinter of my air,craft, which had been hit by enemy bullets. Tmere were some Messerschmitt 109’s right on my tail. Just as I had been firing at the enemy fighter which was now gone, three of his mates had been firing at me. T did a quick turn, and made for home.”