ROYAL AIR FORCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1940, Page 6

ROYAL AIR FORCE

DAVS OF INTENSE ACTIVITY / ... -Kaaa ENEMY CRUISER SUNK TWELVE BOMBERS SHOT DOWN AT SCAPA FLOW. VALUABLE RECONNAISSANCE WORK. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Dav. 11 a.m.) LONDON. April 11. The Air Ministry a nnounced: ■'“Since early morning last Sunday,, all operational commands of the Royal Air Force have been intensively engaged in operations against the enemy. In addition to the normal security, convoy and protection patrols, reconnaissance aircraft have maintained a close watch over the North Sea, the Norwegian coast and German naval bases, from which much valuable information has been made available. Our naval and air forces have been engaged with the enemy. On Sunday last, a bombing attack was launched against a strong enemy naval force off Horn'.s Reef. From dawn on Monday, throughout the day. extensive reconnaissance flights were carried out. During the evening wc beat off an enemy attack against Scapa Flow. Our fighters shot down five bombers. Throughout Tuesday our aircraft were engaged in locating and reporting the position of enemy warships in Norwegian waters. On the evening of Tuesday our bombers attacked in force a cruiser lying off Bergen. A subsequent reconnaissance indicated that the ship had sunk. Long-range fighters on Wednesday reconnoitred Norwegian aerodromes occupied by the enemy, and. despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, low-flying attacks destroyed at least three aeroplanes. On the evening of Wednesday, repeated but abortive attacks on Scapa Flow and on a convoy were successfully driven off. Our fighters shot down four bombers Qnd our anti-aircraft guns three. This makes the total of enemy planes destroyed over or near Britain 65, in addition to fifteen which are most unlikely ever to have returned to their base.