ONE GERMAN RAIDER SHOT DOWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 January 1940, Page 6

ONE GERMAN RAIDER SHOT DOWN

Planes Swoop Low Over Ships

NO SERIOUS DAMAGE REPORTED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Received This Day. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, January :>()

The Aii- Ministry announced that the enemy is repeal in. yesterday ! s attacks on East Coast shipping-. Reports indicate that, a reconnaissance plane appeared on Hie East Coast, in the early morning- and disappeared seawards when fighters approached. Another plane attacked shipping- at Yarmouth, h’i.ghters and coastal patrol plain's pursued and shot down an enemy plane. - German planes dropped two bombs on a. patrol ship and another vessel lying in the roadstead of an .Gast Coast purl. The ships zig-zagged and lhe bombs apparently missed. Hundreds of people ashore saw a bomber swoop down three limes, once within a few feet of lhe ships’ funnels. The steamer -Jersey Queen sent out an S.O.S. that she was being attacked by enemy planes. A fourth ship also reported that she had been attacked. Ambulances hurried to the shore as explosions were heard al sea. Formations of Royal Air force lighters roared over coastal towns in hot pursuit. Two German bombers Hying al five hundred feet appeared on Ihe East Coast of Scotland, with a British plane in close pursnil". As they passed over the town so low one almost crashed into a church spire.

The A.ir Ministry announced that fighters intercepted Gorman bombers in Scotland and put. a rear gunner on! of action in one machine, which disappeared in the clouds. A German plane flew over a Kentish town at a height of fifty or sixty feet, circled the lighthouse and harbour and made off seawards.