KEENLY ALERT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 March 1940, Page 5

KEENLY ALERT

THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN FRANCE CHANCES OF SUDDEN BLOW. SPECTACULAR ATTACK MADE ON ENEMY MACHINE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. PARIS, March 6. Royal Air Force headquarters has issued a strong warning to the advanced air striking force, saying that the present situation is not expected to continue indefinitely. The chances of a sudden blow have increased as the weather. has improved. All ranks have been instructed to carry steel helmets, anti-gas clothing, respirators, and first-aid kits. All men travelling by road must be armed. The warning added that this must .not be regarded to mean that the Germans are preparing to strike The chief motive was a maximum state of readiness. French fighter squadrons are equally alert. A Royal Air Force reconnaissance machine when photographing an air field in Germany saw a large Heinkel bomber with its landing gear lowered prepared to make a comfortable landing. The British pilot dived at full power from a cloudbank, passed directly under the Heinkel’s wheels, and then zoomed up in front of the Heinkel, enabling the rear gunner to put in an effective burst of machine-gun fire. The German did not retaliate. The British plane then continued its reconnaissance. Further successful reconnaissance flights by R.A F. planes over Germany were announced by a Daventry broadcast last night. The flights took place on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and were over north-west Germany and the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven.