R.A.F. ACTIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1939, Page 5

R.A.F. ACTIVE

RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT OVER GERMANY SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT. ONE PLANE FAILS TO RETURN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, December 28. The Air Ministry announced at 12.35: “A successful reconnaissance of northwest Germany was carried out by R.A.F. aircraft on Wednesday. One of our aircraft failed to return.” ERRONEOUS REPORT NO GERMAN AIRCRAFT OVER THAMES. AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, -9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, December 28. The Air Ministry announced late last night that reports current on Wednesday to the effect that German aircraft had made an extensive reconnaissance over the Thames Estuary were without foundation. R.A.F. fighter command patrols were active in the area during the morning and it is possible ground observers mistook one of these aircraft for an enemy raider. GERMAN REPORT FIGHTER SHOT DOWN OVER COAST. (Received This Day. 10.20 a.m.) BERLIN, December 28. A High Command communique states that there is nothing of importance to report on the Western Front. Two British planes attempted to fly over the German coast. A fighter shot down one and anti-aircraft gunners drove off the other. OFFICER’S ESCAPE GERMAN STATEMENT CORRECTED (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.35 a.m.) RUGBY. December 28. An Air Ministry statement says: “It was announced by the German broadcasting station today that an officer of the R.A.F. who was interned in Luxemburg and had given his word of honour not to try to escape eluded his guards and got away. The statement that this officer is correct, but the statement that he was on parole at the time of his escape is entirely untrue."