FIERCE COMBAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 9

FIERCE COMBAT

CLASH OVER CHANNEL

AIR FLEETS MEET

GERMAN CHALLENGE <Rpfd. 9.80 p.m.) LONDON, Juno is In a tremendous battle over the Channel and French coast last, night, the Royal Air Force shot down Fi enemy fighters and lost Hi. Many squadrons on each side clashed in a fierce com hat as the Germans sought to challenge our mastery of the Channel skv.

Our fighters were escorting big forces of bombers drawn from the Coastal and Bomber Commands, which renewed the attacks on shipping and the invasion ports. Powerful Bombs Dropped Press reports from the South Coast state that tha raid was one of the biggest seen from the British side of the Channel and a considerable number of powerful bombs were dropped on buildings, Kent towns being rocked by the explosions. For over an hour the sky above the sea was full of British aeroplanes, some of our fighters flying so high that they could not be seen, while others flew ceaselessly up and down the Straits, at times just skimming the water. Fire over the French coast was visible from the British side as the attack took place. Explosions came from the direction of Boulogne. Targets in the Ruhr For the seventh night in succession British aeroplanes bombed targets in Western Germany last night. Cologne and Dusseldorf were again the principal objectives, and large fires were started. The official German news agency admits that high-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped over Western Germany.

The French invasion ports were also attacked during the night. Jt was only when dawn was breaking that the last of the British bombers came back after a raid lasting several hours.

An air expert, .Mr. Oliver Stewart, said that the choice of targets in the Ruhr has recently been made for two reasons. One is that the shorter period of darkness at present makes it difficult to send bombers to make a sustained attack at a long distance on such targets as Berlin. Secondly, the heavy industries of Germany are. concentrated in the Ruhr.

Mr. Stewart added that overcrowding on the German railways system, and probably also damage at Hamm, have forced the Germans to make greater use of shipping. Hence the frequency of British attacks on enemy shipping off tho Dutch coast. RAID ON EAST COAST (Rerd. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, June IS Enemy air activity over Britain last night was on a very small scale. It was mainly over the east coast. Some damage was done and at one place there was a small number of casualties. GERMAN REPLY BOMBING OF DUBLIN BERLIN, June IS The Government, alter the most careful and meticulous investigations, has found that no evideneo can be produced proving that German aeroplanes dropped bombs over Dublin. It was admitted that aeroplanes might have flown over Dublin by mistake but certainly no bombs were released. Should Eire be able to furnish convincing proof ol German responsibility for the bombing, the Reich would not hesitate to formally renew its offer of indemnification.