EPIC FEATS OF DARING

Southland Times, Issue 23945, 11 October 1939, Page 7

EPIC FEATS OF DARING

WEST WALL CHARTED IN DETAIL UNCEASING ACTIVITY OF ROYAL AIR FORCE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, October 9. An “eye-witness” in another story about the Royal Air Force’s work in France says: “From carefully camouflaged air fields in France the R.A.F, is carrying out a programme of unceasing activity on the Western Front although in the present stage of the war there is little concrete news in proportion to the work actually done. “With epic feats of skill and daring the German West Wall (Siegfried Line) is being charted down to minute detail. Dangerous reconnaissance in vital sectors of the German hinterland adds daily to Britain’s knowledge of the enemy defence systems. “Co-operation with the French is close and unceasing and the two Air Commands are in constant consultation. Royal Air Force bases are hidden away in the countryside with marvellous skill. For considerable distances along the fringes of woods camouflaged aeroplanes have been pushed back into the trees and concealed with a few quickly removable loose branches. They are almost invisible but can be got out into action at a minute’s notice. “For the first time four British aeroplanes carried out daylight reconnaissance flights the whole way along the German frontier with France to the North Sea," continues the writer. “The aeroplanes went to investigate the latest reports received by headquarters from across the border. Recent rumours have suggested the evacuation of important cities and big troop movements near Aix la Chapelle, significant concentrations of aircraft, the intensive building of fortifications hear the Luxembourg frontier and many other interesting developments. “The results of the British reconnaissance flights are now being studied by experts and it understood that a series of photographs taken by two of the aeroplanes are expected to be of the utmost value.

SECRET AERODROMES “The machines went in pairs from one of the secret British aerodromes ‘somewhere behind the Maginot Line. The first two met bad weather and flew for much of the time at about 6000 feet. Passing the southernmost tip of Luxembourg, where the French artillery was pounding the fringes of the Siegfried Line below them, they continued to make observations, dodging from one gap in the clouds to the next. Over Coblenz, German anti-aircraft gunners heard them and opened fire, presumably judging the range and direction by the sound. Shells screamed up through the clouds and burst all around them but the aeroplanes were not hit and held straight to their course. “Hurriedly the German gunners telephoned ahead to other batteries and when the British aeroplanes reached Siegbourg there was another barrage of anti-aircraft fire awaiting them. This, too, however, they passed through unscathed and held on along the Belgian border over Aix la Chapelle. Soon they saw the Rhine turn west and disappear into Holland and then the weather made it impossible to see any more. They flew on to the North Sea coast of Germany. Then, carefully avoiding Holland, they went safely home to a landing field in England where they were expected. “The other pair of aeroplanes took off befi re dawn and were already well over Germany when the sun rose above the hills to the east of the Rhine. They ‘were favoured by better weather and were able to take the photographs they were sent to get.”