Disastrous Week For Germans

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 278, 24 November 1939, Page 7

Disastrous Week For Germans

Heavy Losses in Raids on England GREAT FEAT BY YORKSHIRE PILOT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Thursday, 10.50 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 23. The Ministry of Air announced: “Last night enemy aircraft approached the south-east coast. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire and fighters were sent to intercept them. One enemy aircraft was shot down into the sea by anti-aircraft fire. A second enemy aircraft was engaged and brought down by our fighters.” The gunfire lasted 30 minutes over parts of the Thames Estuary. Warnings were sounded and the wardens had the greatest difficulty to persuade people to take cover, despite the machine-gun battle directly overhead. Searchlights raking the sky revealed two silvery-coloured seaplanes 3000 ft. up. An eyewitness said the seaplanes directed their fire down the searchlight beams and then the anti-aircraft guns tossed them about in the sky like corks. An official communique states that an air-raid warning was sounded in Essex. Intensive machine-gun fire was heard above the clouds, but no aircraft were seen. Hundreds remained in the cinemas during the warning. The “all clear” signal was given half an hour after the alarm. It is revealed that the North Sea combat occurred on Tuesday. Eight machines (not nine) were brought down. A 22-year-old Yorkshire pilot sighted a German bomber. He climbed up beneath the enemy to a height of five miles, pursued him over the sea and opened fire at 100 yards range. The bomber heeled over after the first burst, spiralled down at great speed and hit the sea, when the petrol tank exploded. In the Shetland raid six German raiders first circled the area bombed last week and unsuccessfully attempted to bomb a small island mail steamer. They then dived on to the seaplane. They flew so low that their crews were visible. As the bombs dropped seven members of the crew of the seaplane leapt into the water and struck out for the shore. One bomb dropped within 25 yards and partly shot away the float to which one airman was clinging. Boats picked up six members of the crew and the seventh, fully clad, swam 500 yards to the shore.