MIMIC AIR WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 9

MIMIC AIR WAR

ENGLAND’S DEFENCES TESTED CONTINUOUS SERIES OF RAIDS CLOUDS ASSIST “ ENEMY ” 'British Official Wireless) (United Press Associationi (By Electric Tefieraph— Copyright) RUGBY. Aug. 9. The signal for opening the mock war over England was a War Ministry announcement that relations between “ Eastland ” and “ Westland ” were very strained, “ Eastland ” being an imaginary territory somewhere in the North Sea and “ Westland ” certain areas in east and south-east England.. Soon after zero hour last night Royal Air Force “ Eastland ” bombers crossed the French coast and swept back towards England’s coast line, where the ground defence and aircraft were ready to receive them. There the “ Eastland ” bombers kept up a continuous series of raids. Aeroplane crews waited in relays to take over planes as soon as they were refuelled. From one “ Eastland ” aerodrome Fairey battle planes flying to the French coast and returning at a high altitude in many cases avoided the defending fighting planes. Observers’ corps, however, noted nearly every raid and flashed a warning to the antiaircraft batteries, whereupon the “ Westland ” air positions immediately sent up their fighters.

During'the flight the weather was in favour of the defenders, but this morning low cloud and rain spread from the west, enabling the “Eastland ” planes to pass over the coast and get very close to their targets without being identified. Occasional raids on . “ Westland ’ bases by “ Eastland ” bombers were reported by lookouts at aerodromes, and the entire personnel donned gas masks as they ran and sheltered in gas-proof trenches. Decontamination squads were at work immediately after the raids. RAIDERS CIRCLE LONDON STURDY DEFENCE BY BATTERIES (British Official Wireless) RUGBY. Aug. 9. An official account of the air exercises states that soon after 9 a.m. numbers of planes began to converge on London. Eight formations moved up the Thames Estuary and some swept up in front of the southeast counties. They met a sturdy defence by the fighters and antiaircraft batteries. Some raiders succeeded in circling round London to the west, where they had a hot reception .in the neighbourhood of Uxbridge and Surbiton. RAID ON PORTSMOUTH BROKEN UP BY DEFENDERS LONDON, Aug. 9. An Air Ministry communication covering the air exercises and operations to 3.30 a.m. to-day says the “enemy” made 160 raids, concentrating particularly on the Thames Estuary and the home counties. The enemy operated under the worst conditions, with heavy cloud banks and rain belts sometimes 40 miles in width. The “ Eastlanders ” operated at from 400 to 10,000 feet. Light and heavy anti-aircraft guns were continuously working. The southern area alone suffered nearly 100 raids, 60 fighter patrols effecting a number of interceptions. A heavy raid at Portsmouth was broken up. A BOMBER MISSING LONDON, Aug. 9. Planes and destroyers are still searching the North Sea for a Wellington bomber with a crew of five. This is the only plane which failea to return overnight. The crew of five of another bomber escaped by means of parachutes before they crashed.