WARFARE ALOFT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 122, 22 April 1940, Page 7

WARFARE ALOFT

BITTER CONFLICTS. ON WESTERN FRONT. ENEMY ’PLANES CRASH. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received April 22, 10.40 a.m. RUGBY, April 20. Tlie headquarters of tlie British air forces announce: “This morning a patrol of eight fighters of the R.A.F. encountered an enemy formation of 12 Messerschmitt 109’s in the neighbourhood of Saarlautern. Our fighters attacked and as a result of the general engagement which ensued two enemy aircraft were shot down arid seen to crash on German territory. A third Messerschmitt was driven down apparently out of control. “During the afternoon in an engagement with a strong formation of enemy fighters another of our patrols shot down one Messerschmitt 110 and one Mcsesrsehmitt 109, both of which fell on French territory. Another Messerschmitt 109 is believed to have been destroyed. “One of our pilots, having been slightly wounded during the first action, made a successful forced landing. All the rest of the aircraft returned safely.” AIR COMBATS - IN WEST. ENEMY SUFFER LOSSES. (British Official Wireless.; RUGBY, April 21. R.A.F. Headquarters in France announce that Hurricane fighters shot down four and possibly five German ’planes in the first large-scale encounter on the Western Trout after the invasion of Denmark and Norway. One of tlie British aircraft was forced to land by enemy action. The pilot escaped" unhurt and all the rest of the British aircraft returned safely. The French official evening communique announces that in the course of numerous air engagements a German fighter and a reconnaissance ’plane were brought down on French territory by French fighters. Others were brought down by the British Air Force. One of the French fighters was forced to land within its lines. The previous day British fighters en gaged enemy reconnaissance aircraft and brought one down in the British lines and forced down another out of control behind the enemy lines. All the British aeroplanes returned to their bases. The communique states that during the night several enemy land raids were repulsed. French and German artillery fire at tho centre of the front from the Moselle to the Rhine was more intense and heavier to-day than on previous days. According to Press Association messages the Official German News Agency claims that three French ’planes and one British ’plane were shot, down over the Western I'ront and that only one German fighter was lost. German ’planes carrying leaflets flow over north-eastern France last night and at dawn Allied anti-aircraft gun licrs forced flic raiders to retire, says a Pans message. They shot down onein flames in central France. A Hoinkel bomber crashed and was badly damaged in a hamlet in Limburg Province, states an Amsterdam report. One German was killed and the others were unhurt. Belgian antiaircraft gunners were responsible for bringing down the ’plane. A French ’plane pursuing the German made a forced landing in Belgium and the crew were interned. NAZI AIR RAIDERS. DRIVEN FROM ENGLAND. PEOPLE TAKE REFUGE. Received April 22, 9.20 a.m. LONDON, April 21. A German air attack oif tho southcoust, in tlie neighbourhood of the Thames Estuary, started at 10 p.m. The heaviest firing since the outbreak of the war shook houses on the coast. British fighters roared out to sea to engage the raiders. People rushed to the seafront to watch what was described as a great fireworks display.' Scachlights shot up from many parts of the coast and gun flashes and searchlights lit up the whole district. The raiders were last seen heading north-west. No air raid warnings were sounded. Flares were dropped, lighting up the seafront. The firing iaded alter 2U minutes as the scene of battle moved ay ay. The air activity last night in the neighbourhood of tho Thames Estuary, which was the subject of an Air Ministry statement in the early hours of this morning, is reported to have drawn crowds into the streets of the coast towns nearby, while many persons arc stated to have taken refuge in the public shelters, though no air raid warning was sounded (states tho British Official Wireless). For several hours tho drone of aircraft could be heard but the activity appeared to tlie onlookers to he out to sea. Anti-aircralt gun lire was heard for some time. An Air Ministry statement said: “No attack on shipping has been reported.’’ A German bomber which attempted to raid the Shetlands was driven off by a British pilot on Thursday. The bomber was chased 20 miles, and when last seen was zig-zagging at an altitude of 1500 feet.