AERIAL SWEEPS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 198, 23 July 1941, Page 8

AERIAL SWEEPS.

NAZIS AVOID BATTLE,

(Rec. 2.10 p.m.) RUGBY, July 22. While Spitfire and Hurricane pilots escorted bombers on their successful raid oil targets iu Northern France on Tuesday, other lighter squadrons carried out offensive sweeps over other areas, states the Air Alinistry News Service. In these Polish squadrons shot down lour Alesserschmitt 109’s.

Two Polish squadrons carried out one sweep by themselves and attacked a formation of Alesserschmitt l()9’s, which flew away as soon as they were engaged. The Poles machine-gunned an aerodrome, shooting up planes on the ground, hitting personnel, and machine-gunning hangars and gun posts and an anti-aircraft battery. They beat off 20 Alesserschmitt 109’s iri “dog-lights” near the coast, shooting down three of them. They attacked an anti-aircraft. battery on the coast, hitting the gunners, and engaged in more “dog-fights,” shooting a Alesserschmitt 109 into the sea. The squadron re-formed anil went on to attack a ship off tlio coast. A British wing in another sweep met 40 Alesserschmitts head-on at the French coast in two formations. The Alesserschmitts passed our fighters within 100 yards, but did not engage, and the It.A.F. pilots went on to their objective. Here twelve Spitfires met twelve Alesserschmitt 109 s and attacked; the Germans dived away, evading battle.—Official AVirelcss.