DARING ATTACKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23769, 24 September 1940, Page 8

DARING ATTACKS

CHANNEL POET RAIDS EXPERIENCES OF PILOTS CURTAIN OF FIRE PIERCED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 22 Moonlight, aided the British raiders in their attack on Flushing during Friday night's raids. A squad-ron-leader who took part in the attack stated that even from a considerable height he could plainly see the docks and everything in them. "We came up by the waterway at a pretty pood height, put the nose of the machine down and made a dive attack," he said. "Searchlights picked us up and the guns were kept on at us until we turned off. Our bombs fell across some warehouses on the dockside and. although .1 was too busy weaving in and out to see very much, my second pilot, who had a good look round, tolcl me we had started three small fires and a large one, which may have been a petrol dump." The captain of another aircraft, who came along; a bit later, said he found the fires still going and "stoked them up with a few more bombs." New Zealander's Feat The pilot-officer who followed the squadron-leader into the attack said: "We were just getting into position for a run in when we saw him dive down with the flare all coming up behind him. We saw his bombs burst and four fires start. We then went out to sea a little way, turned and dived after him." One of the pilots who bombed Ostend was a New Zealander, who was recently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. This pilot was confident of having damaged a large supply ship in the harbour. Two Hudsons of the Coastal Command scored direct hits on two enemy ships off the Dutch coast during Friday night. They had just completed their routine patrols and finding they had plenty of petrol in reserve they searched the Dutch coastal waters for possible targets. One aircraft found a destroyer near Ameland, but it was barely visible even in the moonlight, and the pilot had difficulty in keeping it in sight as he prepared to make a dive-bombing attack. One salvo was seen to fall 20 yards on the warship's beam. ' Deadly Dive Attack The pilot next found a convoy sheltering in the lee of a Dutch island. Selecting a vessel between 6000 and 8000 tons for a target, he made a dive attack with explosive and intfendiary bombs. Part of the salvo hit the ship and burst behind the bridge. "The explosion blew us upward," said the pilot. "Heavy anti-aircraft fire was opened from the shore, but our chief danger was from the flying bits of burning debris from the ship. I went down to the water to avoid the enemy's fire. From a long way off we could see the glow from, the ship."

The second Hudson attacked a ship just visible under the low moon as a long narrow outline on the water. There was a huge flash as the bombs hit the solid target, said the pilot. A big explosion followed four seconds later. He was at a height of 500 ft. and going away fast, but inside the aircraft he could hear the thud of the explosion and its force threw the aeroplane forward. The last he saw was a shower of burning debris.

BALKAN ACCORD YUGOSLAVIA AND GREECE ' | SAFEGUARDING INDEPENDENCE (Received September 23, 7.10 p.m.) SALONIKA, Sept, 22 A visiting Yugoslav politician, M. Andres, in a statement, said Yugoslavia and Greece were firmly united in the resolve to safeguard their political and economic independence and were determined to remain outside the conflict which was tearing Europe asunder. The Balkans, which showed a desire for mutual help in peace time, were even more eager to co-operate now that they were beset by bo many difficulties. NAZIS IN URUGUAY EIGHT LEADERS CHARGED (Received September 23, 7.10 p.m.) MONTEVIDEO, Sept. 23 The Attorney-General of Uruguay, Senor Luis Bouzas, alleges that Nazi activities in Uruguay are under the direction of Julio Dilldorf, press attache at the German Legation, against whom action is not possible because of his diplomatic status. Eight Nazi leaders, including Arnulf Fuhrmann, have been charged with conspiring against Uruguay's' sovereignty, and will be tried in the Supreme Court. The indictment of the Nazi Party includes an alleged military plan for the seizure of Uruguay as a German agricultural colony.

Arnulf Fuhrmann was arrested by the Uruguayan police on August 11, when it was stated that documents had* been found showing that he was the author of a Nazi plan for the seizure of Uruguay as a German colony. The German Minister at Montevideo said that Fuhrmann was an Argentine citizen of weak mentality, and could not be taken seriously.

FUNDS FOR AIRCRAFT DONATIONS TO BRITAIN British "Wireless LONDON, Sept. 22 Residents in Edmonton, Canada, have cabled to Edmonton, South London, for the privilege of co-operating in the Jatter's Spitfire fund. The offer has been warmly welcomed, and Edmonton, in Kentucky, United States, and the Australian Edmonton will, it is anticipated, also take part in the fund. Members of the Czech Army have subscribed £3OO sterling to the Mayor of Chester's fighter aeroplane fund, which is now over £4OOO. TRADE PACT SIGNED GERMANY AND GREECE f LONDON. Sept. 22 The Rome radio announced that Greece and Germany had signed a trade agreement,