AIR BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1939, Page 7

AIR BATTLES

BRITISH RAIDS ON GERMAN COAST GERMANS ADMIT ANOTHER INCURSION. “ATTEMPT TO REACH FRIESIAN ISLANDS.” Daventry reports that a second raid by the R.A.F. on the north-west coast of Germany is admitted in a semi-offi-cial statement issued in Berlin, which states that British airmen again tried to reach the Friesian Islands. The story of the Heligoland Bight air battle (reported yesterday) given by the commander of the German fighters is equally as imaginative as that given out by the German communique. “When the alarm was sounded I decided to jump into my brave Messerschmitt and help my boys," he said. “The English did not give battle and did not even shoot.” In a further portion of the commander's account he admitted that his plane was hit by bullets. "With my last drop of petrol I landed,” he said. “There were 12 bullet holes in my plane, one dangerously near the engine tank. After me came the others. Hardly one did not rock as it landed.” Four British airmen who are believed to have taken part in the air battle in the Heligoland Bight have been picked up in a collapsible boat and landed at a north-eastern port.

MORE GERMAN CLAIMS BERLIN, December 19. The official news agency also publishes an unnamed eyewitness story of the Heligoland air battle, saying that it lasted about two hours. First Lieutenant Schumacher, leader of the Messerschmitt squadron, in an interview with the paper "Zwoelf Uhr,’ says the British lost 40 machines. The battle occurred at a height of from 900 to 10,500 feet. He himself brought down a British plane and afterward made a forced landing owing to bullet damage. The "Zwoelf Uhr” says General Goering congratulated Lieutenant Schumacher and awarded him the Iron Cross of the first class.

ANOTHER RAID? HEAVY DETONATIONS HEARD IN DENMARK. (Received This Day. 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, December 19. An Esbjerg message states that heavy detonations were heard on the Danish border, near Sylt, at 6 a.m. It is believed that a British raid was in progress.

By special arrangement, Renter’s world service, in addition to other special sources of information, is used in the compilation of the overseas intelligence published in this issue, and all rights therein In Australia and New zealat u are reserved.