AIR FORCE BUSY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 117, 16 April 1940, Page 7

AIR FORCE BUSY

ENEMY CONSTANTLY HARRIED. VALUABLE SERVICE. (British Official Wireless.) Received April 16, 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, April 15. The Air Ministry announces: “Reconnaissance off the Norwegian coast has continued to be throughout a most valuable service. Enemy transport and ammunition ships have been attacked. At the same time as aircraft of the Coastal -Command were scouring the northern seas to locate those German naval vessels which thus far have escaped destruction by the Royal Navy long-range fighters were attacking aerodromes in Southern Norway to which the invader has been carrying troop reinforcements. “Much damage has been done to assembled enemy aircraft and successful attacks have also been made on enemy seaplanes at anchor in the fiords. So far there has been no opportunity of direct air attack against enemy air transport. These are convoyed by day. “Despite the unfavourable weather conditions Stavanger Aerodrome has again been bombed. Several sections of R.A.E. aircraft were engaged,' all of which returned safely. “The official communiques issued by the Air Ministry during the last week did not convey the full extent of the work of the R.A.E. Reconnaissances have been conducted day and night and every Norwegian fiord which could possibly shelter enemy cralt has been examined.”

An earlier message stated: The E.A.F. and the fleet air arm last night carried out their third attack on the German-occupied aerodrome at Stavanger. In spite of the darkness and heavy rain they dropped bombs and attacked ground forces with ma-chine-gun fire. The ’planes encountered fierce anti-aircraft fire but were not damaged

The crew of one of the British aircraft engaged in the latest attack or. Stavanger reported seeing a sudden, red glow, apparently caused by a big explosion. The air, he added; ‘‘was simply alive with blue and orange searchlights, rockets and shells, which burst into groups of four bluish-white stars. We sailed through it all and dropped our bombs right on the target. “My rear-gunner sprayed bullets down the beam of one searchlight which picked us up. The light went out at once and remained out.” LOW BRITISH LOSSES. While the Navy has been exerting itself with the splendid results already known in the northernmost parts of the Norwegian coast, it is to the south of Bergen that patrols of the R.A.E. and the Fleet Air Arm have given their attention. The Germans have largo numbers of fighters and would have to be engaged by numbers approaching their own but which would bo operating at many times the distance from their bases of the German machines. For the present more fruitful employment is available for the air forces employed on the Allied side for the operations in the north. 'flic R.A.E. reconnaissance flights, over Northern Germany are, of course, proceeding as usual and valuable information” has been brought back from the recent flights. While no information is yet available it may be assumed that R.A.F. patrols co-opera-ted in the landings effected by the British forces. It is understood the losses suffered by the R.A.E. in these operations over Norway at a great distance from the borne bases have been surprisingly low when all relevant factors are taken into account.