INTENSE ACTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21529, 16 December 1939, Page 9

INTENSE ACTION

Air Battle Over Heligoland

Nazi And British Losses British Official Wireless (Received December 15. 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 14. The Air Ministry announces that “throughout the last 24 hours considerable Royal Air Force forces have been in operation over the North Sea. These operations included a wide search for enemy surface craft and submarines and close reconnaissance of the estuaries and fortified islands in north-west Germany. “One formation engaged a strong enemy fighter force in the Heligoland Bight. In the ensuing enco”.nter intense fighting developed in th cours of which four Mssrin the course of .»h ’h four Messerschmitt fighters and three of our aircraft were sent down. All of our other formations returned without loss.” Fuller official details of the Heligoland Bight air battle show that the British reconnaisseurs also encountered severe anti-aircraft fire from enemy cruisers, destroyers and a submarine. The latter firstly opened fire before diving to safety. Thereafter Nazi fighters repeatedly engaged our ’planes, but after 15 minutes a twin-engined enemy fighter crashed in flames. Three others met a similar fate. One of our ’planes was shot down and two others are missing. The rest of the formation successfully reconnaissanced the estuaries and fortified islands off north-west Germany. Our machines flew sometimes less than 100 feet above the fortifications. The Berlin wireless announced that a large-scale battle between German ’chasers and twelve of Britain’s most modern long distance bombers occurred this afternoon between Wangeroof and Spierkeroof, near Wilhelmshaven. Six British craft were shot down and one German came down on the sea. The Berlin wireless now claims that eight bombers were shot down in the battle near Wilhelmshaven. Further details of the recent two engagements between Coastal Command aircraft and two Dorniers over the North Sea show that the second combat was almost an exact repetition of the first. On each evasion the British aircraft fired almost the same number of rounds of ammunition and did almost the same damage to the enemy. Both combats took place at the same height and in both cases cloud bank provided the enemy with a ready means of escape. In the first engagement the British aircraft were far out from their base near Scandinavian waters and were flying low on account of the heavy cloud at 1200 ft. The enemy was a big twin-engined Dornier flying-boat. The Royal Air Force aircraft attacked and for 28 minutes fought the enemy in a narrow space between sea and cloud. The crew of the heavily-armed Dornier blazed away with all guns as the pilot sought to outmanoeuvre the pursuit ’planes but the British pilots were too quick for the enemy gunners. Keeping well out of the field of fire they positioned their aircraft for their own

».♦ %• ••• ••• •? *l* *r *r ••• ••• ’•* ••• gunners to get to work. Finally with both rear gunners hit, the Diesel oil tanks punctured, and fuel literally streaming from the nacelles and sponsons. the enemy gave up the fight and struggled into an obscurity of cloud. Same Crews Engaged ‘An hour later more than 100 miles away the same British crews encountered another enemy Dornier and again attacked. This time the fight lasted only ten minutes before the enemy aircraft—a rear gunner hit and black oil and smoke pouring from it—sought refuge in low cloudbanks. Oil and smoke left a trail a full mile long. It would be surprising if either crippled German aircraft was capable of reaching its base.”