BAGGED BY R A.F.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 113, 16 May 1942, Page 5

BAGGED BY R A.F.

HUN TRANSPORT PLANES PILOTS’ "PICNIC” OVER MEDITERRANEAN Rugby, May 14. A fuller account has now been 1 given of the recent brilliant action in the Mediterranean in which 13 ; Ju 52’s and two ME J 10’s were destroyed for the loss of one R.A.F. I aircraft. ; R.A.F. lighter aircraft were relurn- ! ing from a sweep on the morning Oi ! May 12 when they encountereu a large formation ol enemy aircralt carrying troops over the Mediterranean. In brilliant sunshine, the enemy aircraft were sighted about 50 feet over the sea. The R.A.F. lighters immediately went into the attack, and in a lew moments the first ‘Ju 52 plunged into the waves. "I’ve never seen anything like the next fifteen minutes,” said one pilot. "One alter another, at half-mile intervals, Ju's crashed in flames.” The operation was led by an Australian wing-commander with the D.F.C. and bar, and he shot down one Ju 52. The rest of the bag was shared by British, Australian, and Canadian pilots. As the battle was fought at such a low altitude it was clearly seen that BOMBER NEAR ICELAND Reykjavik, May 14, lhe Army Department amiounceu that a German long-range bomber was sighted to-day off Eastern Iceland. It was driven oil' by heavy anti-aircraft fire. No bombs were dropped. many troops were being transported. Large numbers of men were observed trying to swim away from burning wreckage on the oil-covered sea. The squadron engaged in this operation had already a notable victory to its credit: it had shot down 12 Ju BS : s in one afternoon—an Australian on that occasion making a score of five. London, May 14. "It was the picnic every pilot dreams about," said one pilot alter the battle. A squadron-leader, an Oxford graduate, who accounted for two Junkers, said his most vivid impression was of enemy troops firing from tommy-guns and rifles through the windows of the Junkers in a desperate attempt to drive off the lighters' deadly attack. He said: "I bagged two. Just as the first plunged headlong. I could see the pilot's face twisting in horror.” An Australian flight-lieutenant from Sydney had the highest bag of the clay—two Junkers and two Messerschmitts. His comment was: "My wife won’t half be pleased.” A pilot-officer from Middlesex got two Junkers. Canada was well represented by a sergeant-pilot from Saskatchewan who also accounted /or two Junkers. In addition to the 13 big transport planes destroyed, others are known to have been badly damaged. For some time the Germans have been using these planes to transport troops from Italy to Libya, usually at night. CARRYING OFFENSIVE TO THE HUN (Recd. 7.30 p.m.) London, May 14. Squadron-Leader E. P. Wells, D.F.C. and bar, of Cambridge, who I has made one hundred fighter offensives over the Channel, in a broadcast, said: “The Hun likes things his own way. He will not attack if he thinks he is in danger of being worsted. Our only wish is to see the offensive increased until the Hun simply cannot take any more."