AIR FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 November 1939, Page 6

AIR FIGHTING

GERMANS FARE BABI.V SWEPT FROM SKIES ON WEST FRONT. ON DAY OF INTENSE ACTIVITY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day. 1.5 p.m.) LONDON. November 22. The special correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain on the Western Front says Allied fighters swept German raiders from the skies today, shooting clown seven, while anti-aircraft guns destroyed a total of nine. The French lost two fighters. One pilot escaped by parachute. The other was killed when his parachute did not open. Excellent visibility was marked by the resumption of intense aerial activity. The first enemy plane, a Dornier, was shot down at Nancy. The pilot escaped by parachute and was taken prisoner on landing. Later a French patrol engaged Messerchmitts at Strasbourg and disabled three German machines. All the pilots parachuted behind the French lines and were taken prisoner. A British Hurricane fighter, to the northward, brought down a Heinkel bomber after a sharp engagement. The German pilot endeavoured to escape across the Belgian frontier. The machine started to break up and the pilot made a descent by parachute. The plane, which was riddled with bullets, crashed in Belgium. Three bulletriddled bodies were found in the wreckage. British and French fighters also shot, down two more Messerschmitts further south.