39 AIRCRAFT LOST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 15 September 1941, Page 5

39 AIRCRAFT LOST

LAST WEEK’S HEAVY R.A.F. RAIDS (Rec. 12.10 p.m.) Rugby, Sept. 14. During the heavy R.A.F. raids last | week over Germany and German - i occupied territory which included the , biggest attack on Berlin on the anni- j versary of the start of the blitz on London last year. 33 bombers and six < fighters were lost against eight light- ( ers and one unidentified plane by the f Germans. Over Britain, although the 1 German attacks were on a very small ; scale three German bombers were ' destroyed. In the Middle East the Axis and ‘ the R.A.F. each lost six planes. \ Regarding air activity over Britain ( during the day an official communique states that there is nothing to re- t port.—B.O.W. c AIRMAN’S RESCUE LEG AMPUTATED WITH PENKNIFE ? Rugby, Sept. 13. t After swimming out to sea at night \ against a strong tide to rescue a Bri- < tish airman, a 33-year-old second licut- < enant in the anti-aircraft gunners was j himself called upon to assist another of the rescuers a naval surgeon, in an < emergency operation which had to be t performed immediately on the airman,!-' Lhe only instrument available being a j ! penknife. ; I Troops in the north country were r searching for British airmen who aad been reported missing. They saw ‘ i light flashing out at sea, and cries for help were faintly heard. The two £ officers immediately waded into the sea and swam towards the bobbing . Sight, which they found was a dinghy t carrying the baled-out airman. In i spite of their own difficulties and dan- c ler from the force of the tide, the ofil- c -ers managed to propel the dinghy to .he beach. The performance of the operation. ! kvhich involved the amputation of on lirman’s leg. followed.—B.O.W.