HELIGOLAND ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 5

HELIGOLAND ATTACK

BOLD & DASHING EXPLOIT SUCCESS OF AIR FORCE BOMBERS. DAMAGE DONE TO GERMAN CRUISER. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 3. Tn the attack by a squadron of Royal Air Force bombers on German warships in the vicinity of Heligoland, one of the direct hits with a bomb was registered on a cruiser, of which two, besides six or seven destroyers, lay at the naval base. There were no British casualties and valuable photographs were secured. The leader of the British attacking forces has reported that Heligoland was first seen through a gap in the clouds. When he gave the order to attack heavy anti-aircraft fire was opened on them. At this point one of the British aircraft fell out of formation but was able to regain height and rejoin its formation and return home with the others. The German official news agency admits that the Heligoland raiders caused slight material damage and sank a fishing boat. “Owing to anti-aircraft lire,” the agency states, “the planes were able to drop only a few bombs.” LOSS OF PLANE ADMITTED BY GERMANY. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, December 4. A Berlin message states that the official agency admits that one German plane was forced down during the Royal Air Force raid on Heligoland yesterday. The crew was saved.