Nazi Battleships Bombed Again

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 102, 1 May 1941, Page 7

Nazi Battleships Bombed Again

R.A.P. ATTACKS BREST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 29. An Air Ministry communique says that the Bomber Command last night resumed its attack on the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest. Planes of the Coastal Command also attacked Brest during the night. None of our planes is missing. The operations of the Fighter Command to-day included shipping-protec-tion patrols, offensive sweeps over the coast of Northern France, and escorting British bombers which made a lowlevel attack on enemy shipping off Dunkirk. Four enemy ships encountered north of Dunkirk were bombed and machinegunned despite thick cloud and rain. As the bombers turned for home, a number of Messerschmitts tried to intercept them, but were beaten off by the fighter escort. Spitfires from another squadron, while on patrol over the Straits of Dover encountered a number of German fighters, and a dog-flght ensued, the Germans quickly disappearing into the clouds. As one pilot said, "Although we did not see any of them crash, some were damaged and we were left cock of the walk." An Admiralty communique states: "A German aircraft was destroyed last evening by his Majesty’s minesweeper Elgin. The minesweeper sustained no casualties or damage. The enemy aircraft, a Heinkel-111, attacked the minesweeper with bombs and machine-gun fire. A shell from the Elgin was seen to pass right through the Heinkel, which stalled and crashed into the sea with a terrific explosion."

A Dutch pilot flying with an R.A.F Spitfire squadron on an offensive patrol yesterday sent a German dive-bomber crashing to destruction over Flushing aerodrome. Seeing the enemy plane flying at only 100 feet, the Dutchman dived to attack head-on with a onesecond burst from his machine-guns. He then swung round and delivered another attack of three seconds, and saw the bomber crash on to the aerodrome.

Other pilots of the squadron came down low to attack military buildings, and sprayed searchlight posts and their crews with machine-gun bullets