BIGGEST OF WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20123, 18 December 1939, Page 7

BIGGEST OF WAR

AIR FIGHT OVER SEA HELIGOLAND BATTLE NAZI FLEET SURPRISED DESCRIPTION BY PILOT (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 16, 2 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 15. The disclosure that Royal Air Force planes discovered a section of the German fleet in the North Sea throws a new light on the Heligoland air battle. British planes, not security patrols, went to the North Sea on reconnaissance and saw the warships. A few minutes later Messerschmitt planes engaged them and the warships fired during intervals in the air fighting. The engagement was the biggest that so far has taken place. When the enemy warships were located, consisting of one battleship,, a cruiser, a submarine, and small vessels, the enemy seemed to be taken by surprise. The battle is described by the pilot of the leading British aircraft as a “running fight among the German islands.” From these, the enemy sent, up wave after wave of Messerschmidt fighters. Four of these were seen by the pilot to crash in flames into the sea, where they burned for some time, looking, he said, like beacons and illuminating the sky and sea.

It is officially stated that the bombing of Nazi seaplanes in German bases occurred less than 12 hours after the Heligoland battle. Security patrol fighter bombers carried out the attack.