DASHING PILOTS

Evening Star, Issue 23677, 10 September 1940, Page 6

DASHING PILOTS

POLISH AIR SQUADRON RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING UP BIG ENEMY FORMATION (British Official Wireless.) , RUGBY, September 8. The pilots’ own accounts of Saturday’s daylight air attack on Loudon reveal the dashing part played by a Polish squadron. Perfect timing between three fighter squadrons was said to be responsible for smashing a big enemy formation near Last London. Of these three squadrons a Polish squadron of Hurricanes had the largest bag. When the Poles arrived about 40 Hornier bombers were flying at 20.000 ft. Some distance behind and above was a small formation of Messersebmitts 110, and further behind still, at even a greater height, probably 30,000 ft, were Messerschmitts 109. The last-named were attacked by Spitfires. The Messerschmitts 110 did not seem to know what to do. One of the Hurricane squadrons' attacked the rear of a Hornier 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, strung round so that the whole squadron was almost broadside on to the bombers. They dived down 4,000 ft out of the sun to attack, each member of each section choosing an individual target. A British pilot, praising the courage of the Poles, said: “They are tremendous fighters and their enthusiasm is infectious. When they go tearing into enemy bombers and fighters they go so close that you think they are going to collide,” One Pole, after shooting down two Horniers, was himself attacked and haled out over Essex. He landed safely near Roughton and rejoined the squadron a few hours later. Three of the Poles got two bombers each, and a fourth got one bomber and one fighter. In action with the Polish squadron th a Czecho-Slovak pilot who flew his plan®, to Poland after the invasion of hu country by the Nazis. He fought in Poland last autumn and came to England with a squadron of his Czechoslovak fellow countrymen, who were in. the air over London with their own squadron at the same time, bringing down five Nazi raiders.

FREEDOM IN EUROPE BRITAIN THE SOLITARY CHAMPION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 8. The Archbishop of Canterbury, iu a broadcast address on Sunday evening on The national day of prayer, said: “ After a year of war our country finds itself alone. We have many friends on both sides of the ocean, but among nations the British Commonwealth stands as the solitary champion of freedom in Europe. We do not complain. It is an honour to hold the fort with the flag of liberty still flying. It ie an even greater honour to hold \t alone. W* are proud of the honour.”

FRENCH INWHJHINA JAPANESE DEMANDS REJECTED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 9. (Received September 10, at 9.35 a.m.) French Indo-ChTna, according to reports reaching official quarters in Loudon, has not accepted the Japanese demands for the passage of troops through their territory. There was further violation by a few Japanese troops, but this was solved without fighting.

THE ANTI-COMINTERN PACT DISCUSSIONS ON CANCELLATION DENIED MOSCOW, September 8. The Tass Agency has been authorised to deny a Japanese newspaper statement that M. Stalin and the German Ambassador discussed an agreement between Russia, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and cancellation of the antiComintern pact. This is a pure invention. M. Stalirt has not spoken to the German Ambassador for the last six months.

AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW NEW JAPANESE APPOINTMENT TOKIO, September 9. (Received September 10, at 11.55 p.m.) Lieutenant-general Toshitsygu Tatekawa is Japan’s new Ambassador to Moscow. After retirement from the army he headed the Kepkokukai national patriotic organisation.

COMMUNISTS IN YUGOSLAVIA GUN BATTLE WITH POLICE ZAGREB, September 8. Ten people were seriously injured and 100 arrested wUen the police engaged in a gun battle with Communists who were demonstrationg in favour of an alliance with Russia.