NEWS BY RADIO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1940, Page 6

NEWS BY RADIO

TWO MORE GERMAN BOMBERS SHOT DOWN ONE NEAR FIRTH OF FORTH. ANOTHER OFF NORTHUMBERLAND COAST. The following Daventry reports have been rebroadcast by the New Zealand national stations: —■ Two German bombers have been shot down off the coast of Britain, the first near the Firth of Forth and shortly afterwards the second oiT the Northumberland coast. Three of the crew of the latter plane 'were seen to take to a rubber boat. These German attempts at reconnaissance over Britain are proving costly. The latest losses bring the total, number of bombers lost, to 43, in addition to nine others that probably failed to get home. Not one British fighter has been lost in these actions.

This is in striking contrast to flights by the R.A.F. over Germany. Last night the R.A.F. carried out its fourth reconnaissance flight over Germany in the past five days. The planes flew over Berlin. Heligoland, and seaports in the Baltic and all returned safely. It is believed that the Nazi seaplane bases have been removed from the Frisian Islands back to the Baltic on account- of R.A.F. patrols over these islands. The surprising thing about our reconnaissance flights is the absence of any resistance. Some of the leaflets dropped fell in the main streets of Berlin and many thousands must have fallen in the suburbs. What the German people think about it is difficult to imagine, as they have been told that Berlin is safe from air attack. DESTRUCTION OF U-BOATS. Mr Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, said that during the last two days one U-boat had certainly been sunk and that the destruction of another was almost certain. At the end of last year Germany had lost half of her U-boats and allowing for now construction she might then have had 45, of which there would probably not be more than 10 nt sea at any one time. In October last the battleship Nelson was damaged by a magnetic mine, but was able Io make port under her own power and would soon be al sea again. RUMOURS OF NAVAL ACTION. Reports slate that there has boon a naval battle oil Petsamo. in which two German warships have been sunk. The Admiralty gives no confirmation nor does it make any comment. One version is that the story has been circulated by Germany in order to ascertain if there are any British warships in that area.