DARING ACTIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 116, 15 April 1940, Page 7

DARING ACTIONS

NAZI ’PLANES ATTACKED. AIR FORCE ACHIEVEMENTS. VALUABLE INFORMATION. (United Press Association—By Eiect.ric Telegranh—Copy rich t A (British Official Wireless.) Received April 15, 11.10 a.m. RUGBY, April 14. Further details of the experience of British airmen, such as tlie attack on Stavanger Aerodrome officially announced yesterday, show that this arm of the British attacking forces is effectively co-operating with the Navy in harassing the Germans in their Norwegian campaign. One Messerschmitt was destroyed outright and another heavily damaged had to flee owing to daring actions with two R.A.F. Command aircraft making a comprehensive reconnaissance of the enemy activities along and behind the Norwegian coast. The first encounter occurred while a British aircraft was making a survey and' photographic tour of the fiords from Christiansand to Stavanger. After making a complete record of everything in Christiansand harbour, tbe British aircraft went over the Sola aerodrome and there sighted a number of German aeroplanes on the ground and several seaplanes moored off-shore. Ineffective anti-aircraft fire followed j the British aircraft, which continued, however, to take many photographs and survey the fiords until it reached Stavanger. There, at 1000 ft, it was attacked by the newest cannon-carrying Messerschmitt. The Coastal Command aircraft went down close to the water to evade attack from below, and zigzagged completely, outwitting the Messerschmitt in four attacks. To each of these the British rear-gunner replied, holding his fire until tlie German was close up to the target. Then a bullet shattered bis hand. At that moment, however, he saw the. result of his last burst of fire. One of the Messrsschmitt’s engines began to emit smoke, and a moment later the wounded gunner saw the enemy whirl into the sea in flames. ENEMY QUICKLY ROUTED. From the same Coastal Command Squadron another aircraft was reconnoitring the Skagerrak. In an attack by a Messerschmitt 110 the engagement. lasted only eleven seconds. The British rear gunner held his fire until the German fighter was within two hundred yards and theii delivered three bursts full into the fuselage. The • British pilot then turned and made a frontal machine-gun attack on the Messerschmitt which, in extreme distress and flat out, dived to a base on the neighbouring shore. STAVANGER AGAIN ATTACKED. A later message says: The Air Ministry announced to-day that “operations and reconnaissances by the R.A.F. over the North Sea and the Norwegian coast were continued during the last 24 hours. At dawn this morning the Stavanger aerodrome was again the target of a low-flying attack by our aircraft. Salvoes of bombs were dropped anil the hangar, runway, and a number of enemy aircraft drawn up on the aerodrome were damaged. “Anti-aircraft lire was encountered but our aircraft continued on their way and delivered a further attack against the enemy in Hafsjord where they machine-gunned a number of seaplanes moored on the water and silenced an enemy machine-gun post.”