LARGE-SCALE SWEEP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 64, 17 March 1942, Page 3

LARGE-SCALE SWEEP

R.A.F. BOMBERS OVER OCCUPIED FRANCE FAMOUS PILOTS TAKE PART. Rugby, March 15. Royal Air Force fighters yesterday afternoon carried out offensive opera- : Lions on a large scale on northern i France. A small force of bombers ' was escorted to Hazebrouck, where I railway yards were bombed. The i lighters destroyed eight enemy fightI ers in combat, live during a prelimin - 1 ary sweep of the target area, and ; three more during an unsuccessful I attack by the enemy on the returning I bombers. Five British lighters are I missing from the operation and a - sixth is missing from an offensive palirol later in the day. | The Air Ministry news service gives |a further account of the action. II says the Fighter Command for the third time this week carried out on Friday afternoon a large-scale offensive sweep into occupied territory. A ■.mall force of bombers was escorted to attack a vital marshalling yard. Many dogfig bit between Spitfire sc.iiadrcrs and German lighters took place and it is known that 10 enemy aircraft were destroyed. One wing led by Group-Captain Beamish. D.S.O. and bar. D.F.C., went ■n over the target ahead of the bombers and swept the area almost clear of German lighters. Then, when the bombers with lighter escort arrived, the greater part of the air lighting was over. This was the first operation :r which Squadron-Leader Paddy Findcane, D. 5.0., D.F.C. and double bar, has taken part since being I wounded a week or two ago. He ■celebrated his return 1o the squadron by destroying two planes. A New Zealander, Pilot-OHicer Allen, shot down one enemy plane. Another New Zealander. Sergeant Edwards, shared in the destruction of another. Fuller details show that th i escorted bombers completed their task ! and were on their way back to the coast when about 20 Me 109’s tried to attack them. A Polish escort wing shot three down in the dogfights thai follower;. In addition eight German , fighters wore destroyed and several | others are claimed as probables. Five 1 Royal Air Force lighters are missing. BOMBERS OVER WESTERN GERMANY | ATTACK ON COLOGNE Rugby, March 14. An Air Ministry communique ..-tales:--“Our bombers were ova western Germany in force last night, w:>(, Cologne as the mam objective, with a great weight of high explosive bombs. Manx large fires were left burning. Aerodromes in occupied territory were also attacked during the night and mines were laid in i enemy waters. Four of our bomters are missing.” Another communique reports: ‘•Our lighters yesterday afternoon ! carried out offensive opera! ions on ; large scale over northern France. A small force of bombers was escorted to Hazebrouck, where the railway I yards were bombed. Our lighter. 1 destroyed eight enemy lighters in ■ combat, five during a preliminary : sweep of the target area and three | more during an unsuccessful attack by the enemy on our returning bomb- . ers. Five of our fighters are missing I from the operations and a sixth if missing from ai. offensive patrol late: I in the day.” ; It i.s cnck'lh stated that in a serief i of engagements over the Channel this I morning R.A.F. fighters destroy ec ! nine Me 10S s without loss to themselves. Another enemy lighter wa? destroyed in the course of anothei .sweep this afternoon, making 1< enemy lighters destroyed without los> I to the R.A.F. fighters.- 8.0.W.