AIR FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1940, Page 7

AIR FIGHTING

STRONG ENEMY FORMATION REPELLED TWO MESSERSCHMITTS SHOT DOWN, HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE ON WEST FRONT. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. PARIS. March 30. An official communique states that Royal Air Force fighter patrols yesterday engaged strong formations of enemy planes which crossed the lines near Metz and drove back the enemy into their own territory. The patrols shot down two Messerschmitts in flames. The communique adds: "There was heavy artillery fire on both sides to the west of the Vosges and also west of the Saar. We successfully laid an ambush in the region of the Saar and the enemy left several dead on the ground.” The night communique says: "There were local encounters in the region of Nied. The enemy suffered some casualties, and we took prisoners. A Dornier machine was also shot down by French anti-aircraft guns.

GERMAN CLAIM ALLEGED AIR LOSSES BY ALLIES. LONDON. March 30. A German communique claims that 12 British and 10 French planes were shot down yesterday, making the total Allied losses 85. It added that most of the Allied losses were in air battles, but about 50 planes were destroyed in the aircraft-carrier Courageous. According to British figures the British alone have shot down 135 German planes on all fronts. RAIDERS DRIVEN OFF AT SHETLAND AND ORKNEY ISLANDS. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON. March 31. British fighters drove off enemy planes approaching the Shetland Islands today. No bombs were dropped. A plane, believed to be German, was also seen at the Orkneys and was driven off by anti-aircraft guns.