ROUT OF NAZIS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 250, 25 October 1939, Page 3

ROUT OF NAZIS

AERIAL CONFLICT 'NASI' IN NORTH SEA HROE( TION OF CONVOY ADMIRABLE EFFICIENCY' G BIM FA CIS FO R lON EM Y RUGBY, Oct. 23. The newspapers express pride at the, maimer in which British airmen and seamen dealt with the Nazi bombers attack cm a British convoy in the North Sea when lour of 12 German aircraft were brought down and no ships of the convoy or the escort damaged. " When the raiders were finally driven off. one of the escort vessels passed along the lines of-the convoy living a signal from the commanding officer congratulating them on the way they had kept formal inn during the attack. Further facts now available state that from time to time during the morning enemy- seaplanes were sighted' shadowing the convoys Irom low-lying clouds at an extreme range. Their appearance was greeted with spasmodic hursts of lire from the escort vessels. Vanished in Mist At 12.30 p ni. out of a mist there appeared three bombing planes diving at the convoy. Fire was opened by all the escort vessels and the enemy, altei passing over the convoy and dropping several bombs, banked steeply and vanished into the mist. The sky to the south-east now cleared and there was extreme jasi-

bility to seaward*. At 1 p.m. seaplanes ;wcre sighted high up in the clouds to the -south-east- and presently two flights of three turned to attack the convoy,. T The leading escort vessel opened a heavy barrage, from which the attackers turned away. Bombs were seen falling on the horizon. Again they turned towards the convoy, visible now to all the escort ships, which opened fire in the line of advance and again turned them. . ' . A flight of British fighters now came swooping across the c'onvoy from the hind and wheji, last seen from the leading escort vessel were disappearing into the clouds to the eastward in pursuit of the living seaplanes. 1 ■ i No Hits Obtained .No hits were Obtained on the convoy and no casualties occurred. The convoy reached its destination in due course without further molestation. The Daily Telegraph, while admitting that it is unwise to count on the maintenance of immunity and emphasising that it is only the North Sea trade with which German aircraft can attempt serious interference, says: “It- is plain that the arrangements for co-operation between the escort vessels and fighter aircraft worked with admirable efficiency. There couldi bo no better answer than this complete defeat and disastrous rout to the claims which the Nazi broadcast •put forth on the eve- of the fight that German bombers rule the North Sea. “Resort to the air arm for the destruction of merchant vessels is in itself a confession that the submarines have disappointed the' Nazi' leaders. The facts are grim for them. Air bombing was imperative if there was to he any hope that the war on our ships would frighten us and the neutrals and, perhaps most important, encourage Ger-. man people.” Testing of Problems The Manchester Guardian says that one by one the problems- which vexed the military leaders of Ml countries before thy war are being put to the test. One of the most problematical was bow the balance between defence and! attack in the case of convoys would be left by the introduction of air power as a new element-. Commenting on the North Sea engagement, the Guardian ■ says; ‘ln some ways tin's episode i.s the most encouraging of any that has yet taken place.” It also adds a note of caution, until there has been a wider experience of air attack on convoys in varied circumstances. The naval correspondent of the newspapers, who generally regard the lessons of the incident as heartening stress the successful co-operation of fighter aircraft in the convoy system.