PLANES OVER POLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1940, Page 5

PLANES OVER POLAND

BRITISH RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT

LONGEST YET MADE BY ROYAL AIR FORCE.

THOUSANDS OF LEAFLETS DROPPED.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, March 8. The longest reconnaissance flight yet made by the R.A.F. is announced. The flight was carried out on Thursday night. The planes went as far as Western Poland and flew over Posen. The R.A.F. planes flew from England in a dead straight course for 1500 miles to Posen, 50 miles on the Polish side of the German frontier. They then returned to an air base in France after being 10 hours in the air. The planes encountered little opposition and only one machine was shot at by anti-aircraft batteries. A single German plane was seen over northern Germany. Over Poland the planes dropped thousands of leaflets as proof of their visit and to instil hope into the people of Poland. “WE FLY STRAIGHT” DOMINION AIRMEN TAKE PART. FLARES DROPPED ON GERMAN CENTRES. LONDON, March 8. Dominion airmen participated in the latest long reconnaissance flight by the R.A.F., which was the first to be made over Poland. The planes left in daylight and returned in the early morning. The lights of Posen were visible from miles away. The planes also visited the Leipzig naval dockyard and Stettin, over which red and green Verey lights were dropped. Two of the air-gunners are aged 19. Asked whether an attempt was made to avoid the ground defences of Berlin, an airman scornfully replied: “We don’t skirt. We fly straight.”