PILOTS1 PRAISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 215, 10 September 1940, Page 7

PILOTS 1 PRAISE.

POLES IN ACTION. Dashing Part In Saturday's Fighting. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, Sept. 9. Pilots' own accounts of Saturday's daylight air attack on London reveal that a dashing part was played by a Polish squadron. Perfect timing between three fighter squadrons was said to be responsible for smashing a big enemy formation near the eastern part of London. One of these three squadrons, a Polish squadron of Hurricanes, had the largest "bag." Polish pilots shot down* 10 bombers and three fighters over the Thames Estuary. A Hurricane squadron, composed of Canadian pilots, had the second-best score, shooting down 11, and Czechoslovak pilots bagged five. When the Poles arrived, about 40 Dornier bombers were flying at 20.000 ft. Some distance behind them, and above, was a small formation of Messerschmitts 110. Further behind still, at an even greater height, probably 30,000 ft, were some Mcssenschmitts 109. The latter were attacked by Spitfires. The Messerschmitts 110 did not seem to know what U* do. One of the Hurricane squadrons attacked the rear of the Dornier formation, which then turned east, and provided the Polish squadron with a first-class target. The Poles, who had been flying in sections of three, one behind the other, swung round, so that the whole squadron was almost broadside on to the bombers. They dived down, 4000 ft out of the sun to the attack, each member of each section choosing his individual target. A British pjjot, praising the courage of the Poles, said: "They are tremendous fighters. Their enthusiasm is infectious. When they go tearing into the enemy bombers and fighters thev go so close tliat you think they are going to collide.'* One Pole, after shooting down tw«. Dornicrs, was himself attacked, and baled out over Essex. He landed safely near Rougbton and rejoined his squadron a few hours later. Three of the Poles got two liomWrs each, and a fourth got one bomber and one fighter. In the action with the Polish «qua<s ron was a Czechoslovak pilot, who flew his aeroplane to Poland after the in vasion of his country by the Nazis. H«fought in Poland last, autumn, anr' came to England with the Polish squad ron. His fellow countrymen were in lli< air over with their own s<jtiad ron at the same time, and brought down five German raiders.