MUCH ACTIVITY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 23 November 1939, Page 5

MUCH ACTIVITY

NAZIS OVER ENGLAND

PROMPT DEFENCE STEPS OPERATIONS IN FRANCE TWO FRENCH SUCCESSES (Eloc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 23, Noon.) LONDON, Nov. 22. Nazi bombers flew over the Shetland Island for 15 minutes, bombs being dropped. Anti-aircraft lire drove off the attackers, which swooped low. It is believed that six Nazi planes participated jn the raid.

Enemy aircraft unsuccessfully attacked shipping in the Shetland area this morning. They were driven of’ by anti-aircraft gunfire and then attacked and set fire, by means of a bomb, to a Royal Air Force seaplane which was lying at its moorings. There were no casualties.

British chasers went up in pursuit of a German plane over the Thames estuary. Villagers saw the raider flying so low that it appeared to skim the roof-tops. The anti-aircraft fire was tremendous as the plane narrowly missed an orchard and rose over trees with pursuit planes on its tail. Onlookers said it would be a miracle if the raider reached home safely. Several Enemy Planes Reports from different parts of the south coast indicated the presence o! several enemy planes to-day. The Air Ministry, referring to a raid on the Humber district, announced that the enemy were observed on tlie east coast after 7 p.m., flying at various altitudes. Fighters went up to intercept them and the allclear signal was given at 8.30 p.m. No bombs were dropped. An official description of last night's raid on the east const says that British coastal defences fought a machine-gun duel with a German seaplane which dived low and machine gunned the defenders. There were brisk exchanges for a few seconds. after which the seaplane disappeared in fog and clouds.

A German aeroplane flew over the mouth of the Thames passing over a town and a number of villages. Antiaircraft batteries came into action, driving the plane to a high altitude. Chased Out to Sea The Admiralty and Air Ministry announce that the Germans yesterday claimed that reconnaissance aircraft which raided England on Monday fulfilled their tasks according to plan. One German aircraft, a Heinkel) 111 succeeded in reaching the outskirts of London. Pilots of Royal Air Force fighters who chased this raider from the Thames estuary out to sea and engaged it, reported that they saw part of the enemy plane fall off as it dived steeply towards the clouds below. II was not known how badly the Heinkel was damaged: therefore no claim was made that it had been brougnt down. Confirmation of the success of the attack was received when a British destroyer yesterday picked up two German flying officers and one rating from a rubber boat in the North Sea. The prisoners, two of whom were badly wounded, were from this Heinkel 111 aircraft, which was shot down by Royal Air Force fighters at about 1 p.m. on Monday. The Heinkel had been attempting a photographic reconnaissance over the neighbourhood of London and the Thames estuary. At Least 20 Destroyed The latest Nazi plane shot clown brings the total raiders destroyed over or near Britain since the Firth of Forth raid on November 10 to at least 20.

It is officially announced that the Royal Air Force conducted successful flights on Monday, and Tuesday over Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Bremen.

Paris reports slate that two German planes were brought down in flames in air battles on the Western Front. Another is believed to nave been brought down over the North Sea.

There has been great aerial activity near the Luxembourg frontier according to a Brussels message.