EPIC OF THE AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1940, Page 5

EPIC OF THE AIR

ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEFIANT SQUADRON THIRTY-SEVEN ENEMY PLANES SHO‘T DOWN. WITHOUT LOSS OF BRITISH MACHINE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.22 a.m.) RUGBY. May 30. In the course of operations yesterday on the French and Belgian coasts which were the subject of an Air Ministry announcement, a single squadron of twelve British Defiant fighters shot down no fewer than 37 enemy aircraft. On an after-lunch patrol, thej’ met more German fighters, as well as a dive bomber. On a second patrol, later in the afternoon, they shot down certainly 19 and possibly 21 bombers. During the first engagement, one of the air gunners, apparently believing that his aircraft was vitally hit, “bailed out” over Belgium. Otherwise, every Defiant, every pilot and every gunner returned safely. During the past three days, this particular squadron has destroyed fifty enemy aircraft. On their after lunch patrol yesterday, over Dunkirk, the Deflants first sighted seven Messerschmitt 109's. They immediately attacked, and one enemy was shot down. This fight had hardly finished when the Defiants were surprised by four more Nazi fighters diving on them out of the sun and firing a stream of cannon shells. One of the Defiants was then hit, but was able to reach home safely. It was from this fighter that the gunner jumped. After a dogfight between the remaining Deflants and the other Messerschmitts, the Germans finally disappeared. Then the British squadron saw two formations of nine Heinkel 111 bombers attempting to bomb Dunkirk, but all the bombs fell into the sea. They were attacked by Hurricanes, so the Defiants looked for other quarry. Circling above them, ready to dive and attack, were a number of Messerschmitt 110 twin-engined fighters. There was another dogfight in which sixteen of the Nazi fighters were destroyed. Mixed up in this engagement were thirty to forty Junkers 87 dive bombers, which were also attempting to bomb Dunkirk. One of these aircraft was also destroyed by the Defiants which continued in action until they had exhausted their ammunition. Then they made for home. On their second patrol, the Defiants again encountered large numbers of dive bombers, shooting down eighteen Junkers 87’s for certain and possibly another two as well. The Defiants had still some ammunition left. They resumed their patrol and met a Junkers j 87 flying on its own. Having shot it down, they again set off for home. This morning’s Air Ministry announcement referred to the shooting down yesterday of 52 enemy aircraft and the damaging of seventeen others. Some of the victims of the Defiant squadron whose exploits have been described were included in that total, but not all, and the number of enemy warplanes destroyed yesterday will prove to have been considerably more than that.

BOMBING OF AMIENS

MURDEROUS NAZI ATTACKS ON REFUGEES (Received This Day, 10.49 a.m.) •LONDON, May 30. The British United Press Paris correspondent says waves of warplanes bombed Amiens and are reported to have wiped out the city systematically, killing the inhabitants, including women and children, as they streamed out along roads. Other sources indicate that bombing of Amiens occurred last week. ALLIED TROOPS HALF A MILLION IN FLANDERS. (Reeceived This Day, 10.49 a.m.) PARIS, May 30. The Paris “Soir,” says it is estimated that 500,000 British and French troops are in Flanders. CAPTURE CLAIMED GENERAL PRIOUX AND OTHER OFFICERS. (Rceived This Day, 10.49 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. The official German News Agency tonight claimed that General Pnoux, commanding the First French Army in Flanders, and other high French officers, were taken prisoner at Steenvorde, east of Cassel.