CONVOY BOMBED

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

CONVOY BOMBED

GERMAN AEROPLANE NO DAMAGE DONE NAZI CLAIM DIFFERS \ By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received March '2O, ,Y.>s p.m.) LONDON. March 2» A communique issued by the Admiralty says an enemy aeroplane attacked a convoy in the North Sea and the occupants dropped five bombs, but no damage was done. The Berlin official news agency early this morning claimed that members of the German Air Force successfully attacked a British convoy off the Shetlands last evening, also a French destroyer in the Channel. "The convoy scattered and several ships were hit,'' said the agency. "Our Air Force yesterday also made an extensive reconnaissance over the North Sea. including the Orkneys and the Shetlands. Two aeroplanes did not return."

FLEW OVER GERMANY NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN SAFE RETURN TO BASE THREE BRITISH CRAFT LOST British Wireless LONDON, March 2S Aircraft of the .Now Zealand squadron in the Hoyal Air Force Bomber Command last night flew over Germany for the lirst time. Three of them were engaged with aircraft from bomber squadrons in carrying out recon n a issa nee work in north-west Germany. All three returned safely. Other British machines carried out an extensive reconnaissance over northwest Germany, and two failed to return. The Air Ministry confirms a report that German chasers shot down one British aeroplane during a reconnaissance of Heligoland Bight yesterday. ROYAL AIR FORCE HIGH STAFF CHANGES

NEW INSPECTOR-GENERAL

(Received March i'O, 5.."i p.m.) LONDON, March 2K

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Ellington is vacating the post of Inspector-General of the Royal Air Force at his own request. His successor is Air Chief Marshal Sir Kdgnr LudlowHcwitt. Air Vice-Marshal C. F. A. Portal becomes Air Officer Commanding the Bomber Command, in place of Sir Kdgar Ludlow-Hewitt.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Ellington was a mem her of the Air Council from 1918 to 1022. and commanded the Royal Air Force in the Middle East from 1022 to 192:1; in India, 192-V26; and Irak. 1926-28. He. was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief,

Air Defence of Great Britain, from 1929 to 1931, and was appointed to the position he is now relinquishing in 1937. Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar LudlowIlewitt has been Air Officer Commaiul-ing-in-Chief, Bomber Command, since 1937. He was Chief Stair Officer, Headquarters, R.A.F.. in France, from 1918 to 1919, and Commandant of the Royal \ir Force StafT College from 192G to 1930. He held the Irak Command from 1930 to 1932, and commanded in India from 1935 to 1937.

BRITISH AIRCRAFT IMPROVED types OUTSTRIPPING THE ENEMY (Received March 'JO. 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON. March 28 It. caij be revealed now that a number of the new types of fighters and bombers in production are more powerful than those at present in service. British aircraft such as the Vickers Spitfire, the Hanker Hurricane and the Boulton Paul Defiant have led the world ill fighter design of their type, but advances in bomber aircraft construction called for still further improvement in the performances of lighters. New long-range lighters now being produced wdl be more than a match for similar enemy types. Greater speed, increased engine power, more powerful armament and longer rnnge are features of these new British types. SEEN FROM THE AIR COUNTRY UNDER BLACK-OUT British Wireless LONDON, March 28 The efficiency of the black-out in north-cast Britain was recently put to a practical test by a British pilot. Taken generally, the results were excellent. The pilot had the curious experience at a height of 1000 ft. over a northern town of seeing a man light a cigarette in the street below, on a moonless night. The pilot reported that towns and country merged in a uniform blackness, and it was impossible to distinguish landmarks. On? small place gave itself away by isolated gleams, presumably chinks of lis;ht from insufficiently I screened windows.