Britons Have Best Of Air Duelling

Northern Advocate, 27 May 1940, Page 6

Britons Have Best Of Air Duelling

(Received noon). LONDON, May 26. It is officially stated that the R.A.F. carried out successful bombing ,attacks in Belgium and Northern France and Western Germany last night. Two fighter squadrons shot down at least eight enemy fighters off the ' French coast. An Air Ministry communique states: • “We shot down 20 German planes yesterday. Four of our fighters were lost. “Today we destroyed or seriously damaged over 40 German planes, • Several of our fighters have not returned. “Four of our fighters, which were L reported missing three days .ago. have since returned. I', “Our reconnaissance planes found oil tanks at Rotterdam still burning " this morning and took the opportunity '. to bomb several more which were set on fire.” Downed off Coast. The “Sunday Despatch” says that > anti-aircraft guns brought down one ”, of three German bombers near a south-east coastal town. Searchlights picked up the raiders and the deafening crash of anti-air-craft fire opened. It lasted 10 minutes. Blazing wreck- \ "age fell into the sea. !•* It is understood that a number of bombs were dropped, but all fell into the sea. The German High Command claims that the air force on the night of May !; 24-25 effectively attacked numerous ;; aerodromes in eastern and south---eastern England. Well-informed persons in London ridicule the claim, which they presume refers to the raids on Yorkshire » 'and East Anglia.