AIR FORCE PLUCK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 154, 30 May 1940, Page 7

AIR FORCE PLUCK

MAGNIFICENT WORK. MINISTER’S PRAISE. NOTABLE ’ EXPLOITS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. ) (British Official Wireless.) Received May 30, 11.45 a.m. RUGBY, May 29. In a message to a public luncheon which, he was unable to attend to-day the Minister for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) wrote “In the present grave situation I am on duty all day and I am’ sorry not to have an opportunity of paying tribute to the skill, gallantry and almost miraculous achievements of the officers and men of the R.A.F. and also those who designed their splendid machines, and no less tlie workers in the factories, whose skilled workmanship gave them their strength and qualitj/. . “We are passing through a grave hour and Germany’s attack,upon Britain will test to the utmost our faithin the destiny of our country,” the letter concluded. “The defence of tlie air is safe in the hands of uie daring young pilots and fighting crews of the R.A.F.” An R.A.F. squadron in France recently received a message of congratulation “G.entlemen, I thank you” from General- Georges, Chief of Staff to General Weygand, for an historic exploit. All bridges over the Meuse near Maastricht where the Germans were making a thrust to divide the Allied forces had been blown up except one over which poured the tanks and armoured units of the enemy advance. Stores, petrol, ammunition everything came over that one bridge. It was heavily defended. Anti-aircraft guns kept up a barrage of fire. The enemy fighters maintained constant patrols. PILOTS DRAW LOTS.

Eight attacks were made by the British bombers. The river banks were shattered by high explosives, the fighters were shot down in flames and tlie anti-aircraft batteries were bombed out of action. But no direct hit was scored on tlie bridge. Still the advance poured over that one crossiug. At the R.A.F. squadron headquarters the commanding officers made a short speech to the pilots. The bridge •’must be destroyed. Volunteers were wanted. The pilots stepped forward as one bnan and wrote their names on slips of paper and put them in a hat. Four crews were chosen. They went off without- waiting.

Fighters went up as an escort and made straight for the bridge at Maastricht. Tlie fighters took on the enemy’s fighters’ guard, welcoming all odds "to give tlie bombers their chance. Facing a blizzard of enemy fire, the bombers dived low on the target. Of those four crews one man came back, but the bridge at Maastricht was blownvup.