NIGHT RAIDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24634, 16 June 1941, Page 5

NIGHT RAIDERS

ATTACKS ON ENGLAND BATTLES OVER CHANNEL GERMANS PAY HEAVY PRICE (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 14. Battles over the south of England and the Channel last night, in which at least seven German aircraft were destroyed, r.re described in an Air Ministry news bulletin. Two night fighter pilots who brought down enemy aircraft did not know of their success until some time after they had landed as they broke off their engagements to ' chase other raiders when they saw their victims falling to-the ground in trouble. One of these pilots, a flying officer, was ectually turning to follow down to errth a bomber which he had damaged badly -when he caught sight , of a second adversary. Quickly he gave chase, but was unable to cstch it up. He landed shortly afterward. Two hours lster the Royal Observer Corps reported that a machine had crashedin the position and st the time he had given for his combat. ; In the other case, coastguards on the south coast heard the sound of firing high over their heads end a few minutes later saw a blazing German bomber plunge into the sea. The R.A.F. pilot who shot it down reported that when he opened fire he saw br.' <,l ?'t flashes corrfe from the enemy's fuselage. It immediately began to iose height and dived down into the darkness below

A D.F.C. flight lieutenant had three / combats during the night. In the process he destroyed one Heinkel.lll and successfully escaped from a surprise p'ltsck made on him by another.. The German pilot saw him first by. a fraction of a second and opened'fire. By the time the British pilot had .swung out of line of fire snd back again into an attacking position, the . Germsn machine had dived out "of sight. The \ pilot carried on with his patrol and a tew minutes later, saw a second Heinkel. Fire was again opened by the Heinkel at the same time as he got in a burst at the German. Shooting most accurately, he scored hits and the German missed. He saw pieces falling away from the Heinkel, which begau to give toward the ground. Some minute* later his next combat took, place/ The British pilot got into position and almost immediately after he opened lire, he saw that the enemy aircraft was out of control and diving steeply away. At about 8000 feet above the ground it exploded with a big orange flash. ' ■:. « ': ,• •

AUSTRALIAN PATROL THREE JUNKERS SHOT DOWN (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 14. ."We caught them sitting" was the comment of the- flight commander of the R.A.A.F. fighter patrol which yesterday attacked eight German Junkers 88's with Italian markings as they were about to dive-bomb units of the fleet. The Australians shot three down into the sea an 4 badly damaged others. "They Were circling preparatory to making line astern for dive-bombing attacks.'.' said a lieutenant, " when we came across them. There was a grand dogfight and we managed to get three of them.and wing some others. I.was lucky and managed to get. one myself.' The commanding officer of the squadron shot down another. "-I made a' quarter attack," he said, "and commenced firing. .-The" starboard engine of the Junkers burst into flames.' 1 attacked again and the other engine was out of action. The Junkers dived into the sea and broke up." The third Junkers was shot down by a pilot' officer who saw the enemy crash into the sea and four of the crew swimming in*the water. This bag brings the total of thii squadron to 57. . -