BRITISH AIRMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1940, Page 5

BRITISH AIRMEN

ASTONISHING & GLORIOUS RECORD

BATTLE AT ODDS OF FIVE TO ONE. AN EVER-MEMORABLE DAY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 25. The story of two Royal Air Force fighter squadrons who met the full force of the German air attack on the first day of the allin war which Hitler started on May 10 has now been made public. It is an astonishing and glorious record.

All that clay enemy bombers with strong fighter protection attacked over the Allied front. Often the odds were five to one and even 10 to one. It macle no difference. These pilots welcomed everything that came. The actions they fought that day have seldom been equalled in air warfare. From the darkness before sunrise to darkness again the fighter pilots made one sortie after another, stopping on the ground only long enough to refuel and reload with ammunition. Some of them were sent up seven times. Two who were shot down in flames bailed out and went up again as soon as they got back to their squadron. Forty-nine enemy aircraft were shot down in the daylong fighting and were seen to crash. Probably another score Were riddled with bullets and failed to get home. In that day’s fighting these squadrons did not lose one pilot. Their skill was only matched by their courage. That is the most outstanding fact in a day which will ever be remembered by the R.A.F. But even such a day was only a prelude. For a week every one of these pilots fought at least five -hours a day in the air—a record for air fighting unlikely to be surpassed.

"NICE WORK” COCKNEY SOLDIER DEALS WITH PARACHUTISTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 25. The following story was told by a British officer who returned from France today:—“l was standing on a road near the French coast two days ago when a German aeroplane came over and out of it jumped five parachutists. I suddenly noticed at my side a private soldier with a Bren gun. He had an 'unlighted cigarette in his mouth and he was obviously a Cockney by the way he spoke. “He looked up at the parachutists and seemed to gauge the speed at which they were falling. He produced a box of matches from a pocket and quite calmly lit the cigarette and then, with a twist of his tongue, put it in a corner of his mouth. Lifting his gun into position, he said, ‘Blimey! This is just my cup of tea,’ and, taking aim, he fired.

“The parachutists fell at distances ranging from 30 to 100 yards from us, and not one of them ever moved again.! His final comment was, ‘Nice work when you can get it.’ He then sat down on the side of the road and finished his cigarette.”