MIMIC WAR.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1939, Page 6

MIMIC WAR.

GREATEST IN HISTORY OF BRITISH AIR FORCE Attacks on East and Southern Half of England HUNDREDS OF FIGHTING PLANES ENGAGED ELABORATE GROUND ORGANISATION (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) RUGBY. August 8. Air “war” broke out at 8 o’clock tonight lor “Westland" —an imaginary State comprising over twenty counties in the east and southern half of England, including London. The Westland fighter squadrons and their ground organisation were anxiously on watch as the time'and objectives of the first attacks by the Eastland bombers were unknown. • Eastland, with five hundred of the most modern bombers, was expected to launch wave after wave of its planes across Westland’s frontier, defended by eight hundred aeroplanes, including the world’s fastest fighters, reconnaissance machines and bombers, ready to retaliate on the Eastland bases. Westland also had 15,000 Territorials to man anti-aircraft guns and searchlights. Ten squadrons of the London balloon barrage and fifteen groups of the Observer Corps, equipped with secret apparatus, were stretching invisible feelers into the night sky to seek out high-flying raiders. This will be the greatest mimic war in the history of the Royal Air Force. Attackers Detected OBSERVER SYSTEM WORKS PERFECTLY COUNTER RAIDS LAUNCHED (By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) s LONDON, August 8. Despite low visibility and intensive activity on the part of air raiders, the observer system worked perfectly, detecting and reporting all aircraft crossing the coast. Many squadrons of Westland bombers made counter raids on the Eastern forces, while the fighters engaged the enemy. Anti-aircraft batteries counter-attacked against raids on South London.