FRENCH BOMBERS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20886, 18 August 1939, Page 7

FRENCH BOMBERS

MOCK ATTACK ON ‘ENGLAND 200 MACHINES TO PARTICIPATE United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, August 17 Two hundred French bombers will make a mock air attack on England during the next 24 hours, says the Daily Express. The object is to train bomber crews over unfamiliar country, and give them practice in navigation under war conditions. British ‘'defending'’ aircraft will be expected to spot the Frenchmen crossing the coast and follow them over England, reporting all ttie time their altitude, route and speed. RAID CARRIED OUT AN GLO-FRENCH CO-OPERATION u-nitPd Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 18, 11 a.m.) PARIS, August 17 An Air Ministry communique states that about 200 bombers “raided” the south and centre of England during the night. All returned. The exercise, in which the British defences co-operated, lasted seven or eight hours. The raids did not approach the system or spectacular nature of last week's Royal Air Force raids. The Frenchmen almost without exception were intercepted and engaged, or. if battle were not given, they were i spotted by the ground organisations. A surprise party of raiders suddenly swooped on the Hornchurch aerodrome, which could be considered to have been blotted out, but the interceptors later took toll.