AIR RAIDERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 11

AIR RAIDERS

SEA AND COAST down in fumes FATE OF A HEINKEL HEAVY LOSS TO DATE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Deceived March '2O, 0.1 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 2S An official report states that members of the Royal Air Force phot down an enemy aeroplane off the north east coast of Scotland. The encounter occurred shortly after mid-day. This makes the 4Sth German machine destroyed over or/near Britain since the outbreak of the war. The raider, a Heinkel, burst into flames in mid-air when it was shot down by Hurricanes. The German pilot was diving to escape one section of the Hurricanes, when he was caught by another section. Trapped Alter Dive Before the first attack the Heinkel was flying above the clouds at 10.000 ft., when three sergeant pilots closed in with bursts of machine-gun fire. The Heinkel dived steeply through the clouds, but below ilie clouds at 7000 ft. fighters from another squadron intercepted and engaged the enemy. The Heinkel fell, bursting into flames before it reached the water. Decisive bursts of bullets were (ired by the pilots of the squadron. It is reliably estimated that tin l Royal Air Force, the Navy and antiaircraft guns, since the outbreak of the war. have shot down a total of 129 aeroplanes and crippled a further 44. Prolonged Engagement An aeroplane, believed to he German, was over the Shetlands in the afternoon. British fighters appeared, and the alarm lasted 22 minutes. The Air Ministry announces that an airenflt of the Coastal Command, while on patrol over the North Sea to-day. encountered two enemy aircraft. In a prolonged engagement one of the enemy aircraft was repeatedly hit and seen to be considerably damaged. It is considered unlikely that the aeroplane would have been able to reach its base. The British aircraft returned safely.

The German nuvehines were Dorniers. There was a hitter light for half an hour and the British machine returned to its base' with the engine out of action, the tanks riddled and petrc' 61renminbi away.

Enemy Gunner's Fate The British, attacker swooped down on the DornieVs 160 miles from land, its guns spitt,ing. The pilot said: "We concentrated on tile hindmost Dornier, the rear gunner of which climbed to the gun-pit. He was., a .young fellow. We opened up end got him. 'and he fell forward and hung over the edge. We swooped down several time£.

"Smoke poured out trom the Dornier and I much doubt that it got home. Tliey riddled (is with bullets."

AERIAL TORPEDOES BRITISH SHIP ATTACKED RAIDERS FIRED UPON I (Received March 29, 6.4 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 28 The first vessel to be attacked with an aerial torpedo —one of which was recently found on the Yorkshire coast Rooms to have been the 350-ton motor coaster David M. A short time ago this vessel, after groping through a North Sea fog. emerged into clear weather, when aircraft were seen from the ship's bridge which turned out to be German bombers. ( When quite a distance away the captain of the I}a.vid M. saw something drop from the leading aircraft, and was surprised to see a track running toward him trom the splash. The tiaek passed' his vessel, and a little afterwards something hit the sbore and exploded. The captain realised that he was being subjected, to an aerial torpedo attack, and when the two other aeioplanes each dropped an object into the sea similar to the first he was able to dodge them by watching the oncoming tracks. The crew of the vessel opened fire with Lewis guns on the raiders who, after dropping the torpedoes, made off.

VIOLATION REPORTS DUTCH GOVERNMENT'S STAND I (Received March 5,5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 2f> Declaring that "the reporting of violations of Dutch neutrality is exclusively the business of the Xctheilands Government.'' the Dutch news agency announces the censoring of Geiman communiques by deleting trom them any reports of such violations. CRUISES TO ENGLAND "LATE THIS SUMMER" PROMISE TO GERMAN PEOPLE (Received March 20. 5,5 p.m.) LONDON, March 28 The leader of the German Labour Front, Dr. Ley, has promised the German public that "strength through joy" cruises trt the most popular English south-coast; resorts will be run late this summer, says the Rotterdam correspondent of the Times. POLES JOIN FRENCH ~ SOLDIERS AND FLIERS 'Received March 'JO. 5..V> p.m.) PARIS. March •->!> The first Polish aeroplanes, manned recently-trained crews, also some - Polish soldiers who fought against the Gorman invaders, have joined .the French forces on the Western Front.